Mutual
by brencon
Summary: COMPLETE. What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell? AU. LoVe. Please read and review. Chapter 24 is up.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **An AU set Preseries. LoVe. Please review.

* * *

"C'mon Ronnie, we have to talk!" Logan shouted at her, chasing her through the empty corridors of Neptune High.

"No, we don't. We just need to forget that it ever happened, okay?" She replied, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"Veronica! Stop running. You're always running." Logan reached out and grabbed her arm, turning her to face him. "We need to talk about this." He mumbled quietly, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"Logan." She groaned. She stood on the tips of her toes. She leaned her head to right as he tilted to the left. And as their lips met, it was like the end of days, with beautiful sun lit days, waves crashing on the shore, doves flying, rainbows, and all that other sentimental, beautiful imagery.

As his hands fell to the small on her back, pulling her flush against him, her hands ran through his hair, forcing his lips closer to her own.

He smiled against her lips, his hands rising higher up her back. She felt his arousal through the tight jeans he was wearing. And she gasped at it.

"Logan." She mumbled. Hearing the need in her own voice, she's shocked to find herself pulling him into an empty classroom. He laughed as she tugged him with all her strength.

Once inside the room, she pushed him against a wall and attacked his lips. The feeling of them against her own was becoming second nature to her now. She couldn't control herself anymore as she slipped her tongue out and dragged it across his lips, seeking to taste the inside of his mouth again.

He moaned in appreciation and opened his lips, sucking her tongue into his mouth. Their tongues danced inside his mouth as he pushed her backwards, leaning her over a desk.

Her tongue fought with his and won. She tasted something, alcohol maybe, on his tongue and in his mouth as she searched every crevice. Her hands fell to his ass as his hands got tangled in her long blond hair. She cried out as he pulled back.

"Whoa." He gasped, falling onto the empty chair beside the table. He licked his lips, tasting her strawberry lip gloss and how swollen they were from her attack. He blinked his eyes once, twice, before returning his gaze to her. She was fixing her hair and flattening her shirt where his busy hands had been only moments before.

"Wow. O..Okay, so yeah, we really need to talk about this." He said again, taking her hands in his, drawing her gaze to his eyes. And he found that her eyes were filled to the brim with desire. Just like his.

"Oh…crap." She blushed, looking at her handy-work. His lips were swollen, his hair was tussled and her lip gloss was all around his mouth. "We did not just make out again."

"Well, technically, you started it this time." Logan smirked as she stood up and grabbed another vacant seat.

"This is just so not good." She mumbled, dropping her head in hands.

"Hey, hey, it'll be okay." He said, reaching over and rubbing his hand on her in back in soothing circles. She leaned back into his touch and sighed.

"What are we going to do?" She asked.

"I don't have a clue. I keep thinking that the last time is definitely the last time, and then I see you and you look breath-taking and I lose all control of my systems. And that you're my girlfriend's best friend or my best friend's girlfriend seems to be pushed from my thoughts. And when we kiss, all that matters is me, you and our contact."

"Logan, we can't keep doing this. I mean, I have Duncan and you have Lilly."

Logan snorted and drew his hand back to his lap. "As have Weevil, Luke and God knows how many other guys'." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "But when I'm with you…God, the world seems to stop spinning."

She raised her head and looked at him questioningly. Seeing the honest look in his eyes, she takes one of his hands in her own. "Logan, I know Lilly loves you."

"Just not like I love her, I guess." Veronica tried to reply, but he interrupted her. "It's okay. No, uh, you know, it kinda let's me off the hook, you know, I-I don't know, I don't have to feel guilty anymore."

"Guilty 'bout what?"

"Moving on."

And Logan leaned in, capturing Veronica's lips in a searing kiss. His hand stroked her cheek again as her hands went behind his neck. She moved her closer to his so they'd be closer. Breathing out, Veronica pulled back.

"What are we doing?" She asked, mid laugh.

"No idea." Logan replied, whispering, as he leaned his forehead against her own. Logan pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Okay, I'm gonna ask you two questions and I want you to answer honestly. Can you do that?"

"Um," Veronica started, putting her finger to her lip "I think so." She giggled as he stroked her chin.

"Cool. Question one: Do you still love Duncan?"

"I'm….I'm not sure. I think, yeah, I still love him. But am I in love with him? That's the sixty million dollar question. He's been so distant lately; something weird is up with him. Every time I try to hug him or kiss him or just hold his hand, he dodges and moves as far away from me as possible. So, yeah, not sure that we'll be lasting much longer." Logan smiled at her answer before clearing his throat, his heart beating a mile a minute.

"Okay, second question: What do you feel for me?"

She took quick, shallow breaths, looked deep into his eyes, contemplated her thoughts and fidgeted some before she replied.

"I think that my…Oh boy, this is hard. Logan, I…I-I think I'm falling for ya." She said in a quick out burst.

Logan's heart swelled. He smiled a large grin, puffed his chest out, tilted her head upwards and kissed her hard and fast. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed, stroking him for a moment or two before pushing him away.

She sighed; looking at his lips was too tempting. She took a deep breath before looking directly in his eyes.

"Okay, now that my soul has been bared, I think it's only fair if yours is too. I have a question for you to answer too."

"Hit me."

"What are your feelings for me?"

"Remember back 4 years ago? You were in those knee socks….and soccer outfit? Playing as if the world depended on it?" She nodded her head. "Well, the instance I saw you I knew I felt something for you. I was sitting with DK in the stands. He was the one that pointed you out to me. I saw you, and instantly knew I had to meet you. Then he told me that he was going to marry you some day. Kinda put a damper on my thoughts. So I took a step back and let Duncan date you. And then Lilly asked me out and we became the Fab Four and life was perfect. But, I don't know, I think that I've kept a place for you inside. And I have now lost macho points with you, right?" He asked, laughing.

Veronica's mouth hung open. She shut it, wet her lips and asked him "Since we were 12? You've liked me all this time?" He nodded. "Lilly always said we should hook up, that you were perfect for me."

"She did, huh?" He asked, lifting her onto his lap. "What else did Miss Kane tell you?"

Veronica smiled, and kissed his lips hungrily. Logan gasped silently before getting into the kiss. A couple of minutes later, the end of class bell rang out and they separated.

"So, I'll call you this evening?" He asked, placing kisses on her neck as he lead her to the door.

"Yeah. Then we can…talk some more about what we are gonna do about Duncan."

"What about Lilly?"

"Strangely enough, I think she'll be okay with the idea of us hooking up." Veronica said, kissing him one final time before leaving the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Mutual

**Author:** Brendan/brencon

**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble, VD, Logan/Lilly

**Word Count: **1,431

**Rating: **PG-13, so far.

**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon

**Warnings:** None

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Authors Note:** Thanks to LoVeGrl for the beta, italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

* * *

Rushing to her locker, Veronica grabbed a hair brush and lip gloss and ran to the girl's bathroom just as the classrooms were beginning to empty out. She quickly dragged the brush through her hair and reapplied the lip gloss to her lips. She looked at herself in the mirror and thought that she looked fit to showing herself to the student body.

She tossed the lip gloss and brush in her locker and made her way to the quad. Knowing Duncan, he would've already ordered her the manicotti.

Veronica wondered what exactly was wrong with him lately. Or her, as the case may be. She tried to reason to herself that whatever had happened to him had not come as a result of something she had said or did.

She hoped.

Walking into the sunny grounds of Neptune High, she made her way to the 09er table. Sure enough, an empty seat remained between Lilly and Duncan, her seat.

She quickly said hello to her best friend, trying not to look in the direction of Logan, who was seated to her BFF's left. She took the container that Duncan offered her and quietly thanked him before digging in.

_Yay, Italian!_

She reached for the last Skist on the table. At the same moment, Logan stretched for the bottle. Their fingers touched and it was as if sparks ran through them both. Veronica blushed and Logan smirked.

"Take it." He said, pushing it towards her. She blushed even deeper, yet smiled in his direction as a thank you. Lilly noticed the interaction between the two, but chose not to comment on it. Instead, she leaned forward and began gossiping with Madison Sinclair about some hot guy she saw at Dog Beach over the weekend.

Veronica opened the drink and drank twice before placing it on the table, and finished off her lunch. She felt eyes on her. She wasn't sure if they were Duncan's. She didn't dare look at Logan. Duncan was busy talking to Casey about his latest soccer win.

Of course it had to be Logan.

Veronica glanced in his direction and their eyes met. Again, that spark ran through her. It was then that Duncan got to his feet.

"Where're you going?" Veronica asked, once she realised the seat beside her was vacant.

"I have to talk to the coach about something." Duncan replied, before lifting his back pack and jogging inside. He was gone before Veronica got a chance to say goodbye.

_What's wrong with you lately Duncan?_

"So Ronnie, doing anything special this evening?" Logan asked, having gotten up and taken Duncan's empty seat beside her.

"Feasting with the folks and study."

"It's only the second week of school, and you're already studying?"

"It's important, Logan. I want to go to Stanford, so I need the grades." Veronica replied before taking another drink.

She saw his hand disappear under the table from the corner of her eye and wondered where it was going.

When she felt it on her knee, she blushed a bright shade of red and looked at him with a 'deer in the head lights' look.

He just smiled.

"What about, instead of the study thing, you come over to my place and we do the movie thing?" He offered, lightly squeezing her knee.

Veronica squirmed, in fear of Lilly paying attention to them and in joy at feeling this close to Logan. She had to stop herself with all her might from turning in her seat and kissing Logan right there and then in the quad.

"S-Sure." Veronica replied, looping her right leg around his left. She slid over on the bench and placed her hand on the one that was on her knee. "Could you give me a ride home too? Dad's working late and Mom's… she was feeling sick this morning."

Seeing the look on Veronica's face, Logan knotted his fingers with hers beneath the lunch table and gave her a comforting squeeze.

"That I can do. We can pick up the DVD's then as well, okay?"

"Good idea."

As Veronica separated her leg from his, Logan leaned forward, using his free hand to grab the Skist.

"Everything OK?" He whispered

Veronica turned to her right and smiled quickly at him.

"Uh huh, all fine." She said, while her eyes showed what she really felt. Sorrow.

Suddenly, Lilly sat back in her seat. Veronica's hand fell from Logan's so fast that Logan had a look of hurt on his face, but he quickly plastered a smile to his lips.

"Oh, where'd the Donut run off to?"

Veronica felt Logan slide further to the right before she answered.

"He said something about meeting with the coach."

"Huh," Lilly started, before flipping her long, blonde hair over her shoulder. ", well, anyway, did you hear? Conner Larkin's going to be shooting a new film right here in Neptune! How cool is that? God, he's so hot."

Veronica shot a look at Logan, to catch his reaction, but his mask was still firmly in place.

"Lilly." Veronica warned.

"What?" Lilly asked. Veronica pointed with her head in Logan's direction. "Oh, lover boy over there knows that I love him! Don't you, sweetie?" Lilly said, twirling a stray strand of her hair around her index fingers.

Veronica turned her eyes to Logan and saw the muscles in his face clench as Lilly continued nattering on about using her 'womanly charms' to 'snare him in her trap' because 'not one man on this God given green earth could resist the Fabulous Lilly Kane!".

It came as no surprise to Veronica that, when the end-of-lunch bell rang out, Logan shot to his feet and stormed in to the building.

Veronica followed him in and saw him leaning against his locker, the knuckles on his right hand starting to bleed. She assumed he'd punched the locker beside his, because there were flecks of blood on it as well. But what made her heart ache were the tears that she saw forming in his eyes.

She reached out to caress his check before realising where exactly she was. Instead, she used the movement to take his bleeding hand in hers.

"Come with me. We have to get this cleaned up."

As she dragged him along to the nurse's office, Veronica heard Logan sniffle some. When they reached the office, it was empty. They entered the office, taking care to lock the door from the inside; she then took Logan to the sink and ran the cold water.

"Put your hand under it." She instructed, while searching through the cub boards for paper towels. When she finally found them, Logan had cleaned away the dried blood and had grabbed the chair from the nurse's desk and relaxed into the comforting leather.

Veronica took his cut hand in hers tenderly and saw that the cuts were just nicks. She used the paper towels to dab his knuckle gently, not wanting to hurt him more.

"How's that feel now?" She questioned.

"Better, I guess."

Again, Veronica felt eyes on her. Being this close to Logan again in such a small space was making her blood boil.

One moment she was dabbing his fingers, the next his mouth was on hers and her hands had snaked around his neck. Logan's kissing was fierce. Veronica could feel his desperation, his need. She tried to comfort him as much as she could. Again, his hands found themselves in her hair as her hands rested on her lower back, steadying herself against his body.

When oxygen became an issue, Logan pulled back and took a deep breathe. His hands fell to her cheeks, which he held caressingly… lovingly even. And it made her smile bright when he did too.

"Hmm, who knew some groping and kissing in a nurse's office would make me forget about my bitch of a girlfriend?" Logan mused, even as he began to lean down and kiss her again.

It was these small, touching gestures that made Veronica fall for him. And fall she did. Hard.

And it was in that moment that she realised that she did love him. And the corners of her lips tugged up into smile against Logan's face. Veronica felt Logan disentangle his hands from her hair and end the kiss for a second time. Only this time, she groaned at the loss.

Logan smirked as he watched her eyes slowly open again, a look of content, of pure happiness firmly on her face.

And that was when they heard the key turn in the lock.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Mutual

**Author:** Brendan/brencon

**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble, VD, Logan/Lilly

**Word Count: **1,571

**Rating: **PG-13, so far.

**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon

**Warnings:** Minor cussing

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Authors Note:** Thanks to LoVeGrl for the beta, italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

* * *

As quickly as they got together, they fell apart. Veronica returned to searching through the cub-boards for bandages whilst Logan continued to dab at his wounds.

The door to the office swung open and the Neptune High nurse entered.

"What are you two doing in here?" Nurse Jackson asked, fixing her gaze on the teens.

"I had a little boo-boo and Ronnie here was making it all better." Logan smirked, revealing his scrapped hand to her as Veronica finally found the bandages.

She snipped off a large strip and placed it over his cuts.

"We're very sorry for using your office; we only did it because you weren't here. We'll go now." Veronica said, replacing the bandages in the cub-board as Logan threw the damp towel in the trash.

"Bye-bye now." Logan gave the nurse a wave goodbye as Veronica dragged him from the room.

Nurse Jackson sighed heavily and closed the door behind them.

The clock in the main hallway showed the two that they were already ten minutes late for their next class. Veronica dashed to her locker and grabbed her English book, some homework from earlier in the day, a notebook and a few different coloured pens.

She then turned around on her heel to find Logan standing right behind her.

"What's wrong, Veronica?" Logan asked, reaching out to remove the stray hair from her eyes.

Veronica dodged his hand and took a step back.

"Nothing, I…I-I just wanna get to class. We're starting Romeo and Juliet today."

Veronica raced around Logan and practically ran to her English class, leaving Logan in the middle of the hallway, as if stuck to the ground, with a confused look growing on his face.

After arriving late and receiving a tongue bashing from Mrs. Murphy, Veronica plumped down in her chair and flipped open her book to the correct page. Duncan hadn't even looked up from his text book when she arrived late; he just kept looking at the page in front of him.

As Mrs. Murphy returned to her spot in the passage, Veronica tried her hardest not to get lost in her thoughts for about five minutes.

She lasted a lot longer than she thought she could.

_What is it between me and Logan? Is it just lust or… or what? He was so sweet and attentive and caring to me, but when Lilly starts talking about other guys that she's going to have her way with, he gets so angry… so sad. And desperate. _

_Sometimes I think… sometimes I think he's using me to make himself feel better, but then his kisses and the looks he gives me when it's just the two of us or if we're even in a crowded room filled with others, that make me think that he actually cares for me._

_I try not to think about him that way, I do, but it's just not working. He's worked his way in. _

Veronica placed her right hand under her chin and looked over in Duncan's direction.

_Duncan's been so distant lately, while Logan… Logan's been so touching. And Logan and Lilly have always had this on again, off again thing… but Logan always ends up the one hurting. Lilly just seems to think that she can break his heart over and over again and that he'll still be there, waiting for her._

_The sad thing is that he will be. It's what he does for Lilly. _

_Which leads me back to my first question: what is it between me and Logan? _

_My head hurts. _

The sound of chairs and tables scraping against the floor as people got to their feet woke Veronica from her very confusing thoughts. Next she had a study period and then a free period, so she could go home. She needed to clear her head of all these confusing and painful thoughts.

She gathered up her things and made her way to her next class. Thank God she didn't have it with Logan either. She took an empty seat beside the windows, took out some AP Algebra homework and began working on it.

She heard Mr. Wu enter the room and close the door behind him. Veronica then heard him write something on the blackboard, which, she assumed, was his usual, 'Study Period – Which means study!' And finally she heard the chair at the desk be pulled far enough back from the desk.

It was almost fifteen minutes later that someone knocked on the door twice before entering. Veronica didn't bother looking up, too worked up with her current equation. She heard muffled whispering and then the sound of sneakers squeaking in her direction.

She finally looked up when the new arrival to the class sat beside her and threw a piece of paper onto her table.

It was Logan. Of course it was. Who else could possibly be able to leave their final class of the day except Logan?

Well, maybe Lilly, but that's another avenue Veronica doesn't want to look at.

He pointed to the slip of paper that had landed on her book and indirectly told her to read it.

_Ronnie, why'd you run away from me? What'd I do wrong?_

Veronica was about to crumple the paper up when she chanced a look in Logan's direction. He had that hurt, lost look that he had on his face in the nurse's office after lunch again.

She scribbled a 'nothing' on it and tossed it in his direction before returning her attention to her math book.

A few moments later, a second scrap of paper had landed on her book. She sighed before taking it in her hand. Wu was currently eating an apple so he couldn't be distracted by notes. She opened it.

_Veronica, please, I can tell that you're pissed off. Tell me what I did so that I can explain or attempt to fix it or something. At least give me that chance._

Veronica turned her eyes to the oversized window beside her. The leaves on the only birch tree on the school grounds were swaying in the light Fall winds.

_How 'bout ya tell me if you're just using me to get back at Lilly, who, if you forgot, is my best friend, and your best friend's… my _boyfriend's_ older sister, or if you do actually care for me like you said you did when we were alone in that classroom earlier. _

That's what she wanted to write, what she'd hoped she could write, but she just couldn't. She wrote nothing. She didn't do anything for the rest of the class except think.

She was slow to pack her things away. But, so was Logan. He wanted her reason for running away from him today and he wasn't going to leave until he got. And since he was giving her a ride home, he knew he'd get his answers at some point during the rest of the afternoon.

When the class was empty, Logan broke the dead silence.

"So, what did I do?"

Veronica put her school bag on her table and looked at him.

"Logan, what does this… us… mean to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Am I… is this something you're doing to get revenge on Lilly? Do you even feel something for me?" Veronica asked, crossing her arms protectively around her waist.

"You think that this is just some fling? That I'll get bored and return to Lilly's bullshit?"

"I don't know what to think, Logan. One moment, you're all sweet and caring and taking my feelings into account, then Lilly starts talking about getting with Conner Larkin and it's as if what we have, whatever that is, means nothing. Then, to add fuel to the fire, you were on the verge of tears about Lilly not treating you right that you kissed me to feel comfort in yourself. Remember, back in the nurse's office?"

Veronica moved away from Logan to the back of the room.

"Which is it Logan? Am I just something to feed your attention until Lilly clicks her fingers once again?"

Logan's lower jaw was actually hanging, leaving his mouth wide open, as he slumped into his chair, reeling from Veronica's outburst.

"Veronica, what happened between our talk before lunch and our talk in the office wasn't getting a rise out of me because of Lilly; it was because I had to be with someone who finds anybody else she can be with more interesting than me, while here we are, having these most amazing moments behind closed doors or under the cover of tables or written in secret notes. We could have something so amazing that would make the Kane siblings see what exactly they've lost out on, and what a great thing we have together."

Logan got to his feet and followed Veronica's footsteps. He twirled her around and took her hands in his.

"Veronica, I wanna hold your hand in public, to be able to kiss you and just be around you as your boyfriend because… because you bring out the best in me. You _make_ me want to be better."

Once he finished, he kissed both of Veronica's hands. He'd pretty much left Veronica full of awe… and speechless.

He pulled her into a tight hug and again smelled her hair.

After a few moments, Logan pulled back and took only one of her hands in his.

"Ready to go home?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble, VD, Logan/Lilly  
**Word Count: **1,461  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon  
**Warnings:** Minor cussing  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Authors Note:** Thanks to LoVeGrl for the beta, italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

* * *

The ride home was long and tension-filled. Not once had Veronica taken her eyes away from the passenger side window, even though she wasn't looking at anything in particular. 

_So, ok, I know he genuinely likes me now. But after my small out burst in the classroom, I don't exactly know how to end this overwhelming silence. _

Every few seconds, Logan would glance at her from the corner of his eye before focusing on the road again. He was worried about what she was thinking; about why she wasn't talking.

He took the first step.

"Ronnie? Are you okay?"

She could hear something in his voice, she just wasn't sure if it was anxiety or something different entirely.

She turned in her seat and faced him for the first time since the classroom.

"Uh-huh." She replied, nodding her head. When he continued to look at her, as if pressing for her to go on, she relented. "I'm just… trying to take in everything. I mean, a lot has happened in the past 24 hours."

Logan sighed as he focused on his driving again.

"I know I was totally wasted at the party where we kissed for the first time, Veronica, but it still meant something to me. Hell, it's something I'd wanted to do for almost four years. And today in that classroom, I knew exactly what I wanted."

"And what was that?" Veronica asked tentatively.

"You."

Veronica gazed at his face. It was bright with happiness and his grin was infectious. Soon enough she found herself smiling too, almost in a fit of giggles.

"Feel better?" Logan asked, once she had finally regained control of her breathing.

"Much better."

Veronica thought for a moment before leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. She pulled back with a smile on her face.

"So, still up for movie night tonight?"

"I actually feel like heading to the beach after dinner with the parentals. Wanna come? Help me try and catch Backup?"

Veronica smiled in his direction as he pulled to a stop at a red light. He turned his attention to her and nodded his agreement.

"Would your parents be okay if I came over, oh, I dunno, now? That way we can head straight to the beach instead of me having to come collect you."

"Sure. Mom said she'd order take out whenever dad got home. He has some paperwork or something that he's been putting off for the past few weeks to finish."

The light changed to green. Logan pressed down on the accelerator as Veronica switched on the radio. She began fiddling with the preset stations when Logan used his right hand to grasp both of her smaller hands in his.

"Do not mess with my car."

"Don't you mean your Big Bird?"

"Whatever Mars, you know you love it."

"You're delusional."

"Just admit it and everything will be fine. And if you don't, remember this: I know were you are extremely ticklish."

"I am not in anyway ticklish."

Logan waggled his eyebrows. "Care to test that theory?"

"Ok, let's change direction of this question."

_Before I embarrass myself by blushing a very deep shade of red._

"Ok then. Mind if we go to my place first? I have to tell mom that I won't be home for dinner."

"Sure… or we could have dinner at your place. And, as a bonus: heated pool."

"What happened to the beach plan?" Logan asked as they entered 09erdom.

"It's fall, I left a bathing suit there one day during the summer, and Mrs. Navarro's cookies are the best in world."

"And the truth comes out! So, you're only with me for my good looks and my maid?" Logan smirked, pushing the button bring down his window. They had already reached the Echoll's Mansion. He punched in the code and the gates automatically opened.

He drove to the front of the house and parked. As they were getting out of the car, Veronica was already on the phone, waiting for her mother to answer. When it went to voicemail, she groaned and called her father at the station.

"Yeah, we just got here. OK, see you at ten then. I love you, too. Bye dad."

She hung up and put her cell back in her bag.

"Your dad okay with the plan for this evening?" Logan asked, opening the front door and letting Veronica enter first.

"Yep, and he'll be here at the dot of ten o' clock to collect me."

They walked into the living room and Veronica began sniffing the air.

_Those aren't chocolate chip cookies I smell. But it stills smells like heaven._

"Wonder what Mrs. Navarro has got on the menu today." Veronica asked, leading Logan into his own kitchen.

On the work top was a large chocolate cake with what looked like strawberries and wiped cream on top.

As Veronica rushed towards it, salivating at the mere sight of it, Logan remained back, just watching her. Mrs. Navarro was about to cut Veronica slice when Veronica told her to cut a bigger one for her and Logan to share. He could help but laugh when Veronica got a large tablespoon and scooped up some of the cream and strawberries.

"Happy now?" He asked, watching her shovel another mouthful into her mouth.

Veronica tried to speak, but with her mouth filled to the brim with warm chocolate cake, it came out mumbled.

Logan laughed heartily and took her spare hand in his as they began to rise up the stairs.

"You do know we'll have to wait at least a half hour now before we can swim, right?"

Veronica's eyes were shut tight, still enjoying the chocolate goodness, that she nodded her head. Logan wasn't sure if it was an acknowledgement of what he said or enjoyment of the over sized slice.

Just as they reached the door to Logan's room, Aaron Echolls loud voice rang out as the front door slammed open.

"Logan!" He roared, throwing his keys and sunglasses onto the desk by the door. "Logan, what did I tell you about parking that oversized toy in the middle of the driveway!"

"Ugh." Logan grumbled, letting his head fall against the door. He opened it and pushed Veronica in.

"Five minutes." He whispered, the fingers on his right hand spread wide. He closed the door and went down the stairs.

At the bottom, Mr. Echolls had his hands on his hips and was glaring at him.

"Logan, for the thousandth time, park the car at the side of the house."

"I know, dad, I'm sorry, I just wanted to get Veronica so that she could select the DVD she wanted to watch. She takes forever. I didn't think you were coming home until tomorrow night?"

"We wrapped the filming early." Aaron said, admiring himself in the mirror above the desk. "I smell an Oscar."

"No, that would be chocolate cake."

Logan passed his father before Aaron could comment and got into his car. He started it up and drove it to the side of the house.

Just over five minutes later he was in his room, sitting up on his bed beside Veronica, with the South Park movie playing.

For the first hour, they were just happy to be in each other's company, but soon enough it wasn't enough. Veronica crawled forward and sat between Logan's legs, her head resting against his chest.

When she did that, Logan lost all interest on what was on the TV screen. He started playing with her long blonde hair, like it was the most interesting thing in the whole known universe.

He then began kissing her behind the ears and then down her jaw. Soon enough, Veronica lost interest in her favourite film and turned around to face him.

He kissed her chastely at first, before they both got into it. Their kissing deepened and again their hands travelled over each other.

Soon enough, the credits for the film were scrolling up the TV screen, and Veronica had missed it all. She was lying on her back, Logan above her, his tongue lapping at her pulse point.

She was gasping loudly at his actions, running her fingers through his frosted-tipped hair. She was chanting his name as if it were a mantra and all they had been doing was heavy petting and kissing.

_What will I be like when we actually sleep together?_

She blushed a deep shade of maroon at the thought, yet pulled his lips back to her own and attacking them with a fierce kiss.

A few minutes later, Logan pulled back and sighed contentedly.

"All this making out has made me hungry. Wanna go raid the kitchen?"

Veronica grinned wide and practically jumped off his bed.

"I thought you'd never ask!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble, VD, Logan/Lilly  
**Word Count: **2,087  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon  
**Warnings:** Minor cussing**  
Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW**  
Authors Note:** Thanks to LoVeGrl for the beta, italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Shout out to Nikita, who inspired a certain section of this chapter. You guys rock!

* * *

The pair were walking through the living room to the kitchen. There was a strong smell of melted cheese that was making Veronica quicken her pace towards the scent as Logan pushed open the door for her.

Inside, Mrs. Navarro was just preparing the meal, four plates where situated on the counter in the centre of the room. Upon hearing the door open, she looked up from the pot the food was in.

"Mr. Echolls, your father told me to prepare an extra plate just in case. He said Miss Veronica might be staying for dinner."

Veronica smiled at Mrs. Navarro and took a deep breathe.

_I really love food. I'm just glad I have a fast metabolism; otherwise I'd be the size of a blimp!_

"That's just… great. Thanks Mrs. Navarro." Logan said, leading Veronica to the dining room. In comparison to the dining room at her own home, it was enormous. But it was less… inviting. From three sides, the family pool could be seen, lit by lights below the water.

Mr. and Mrs. Echolls were already at the table, each sipping away at their drinks; Mr Echolls was reading a newspaper.

Neither Aaron nor Lynn looked up when the door opened.

Lynn only dared to look up at her son when she heard the scraping of the legs of the chairs against the floor, as he pulled out Veronica's chair for her. She smiled at him and Veronica as they both took their seats.

A few moments later Mrs. Navarro brought the dinner in and placed it before everyone. She then said goodbye to Mrs. Echolls, saying she'd be back at nine o' clock the next morning.

Veronica felt out of place. Unlike family dinners at her own home, the Echolls' did not talk much during much their meals. They didn't talk at all. It was too quiet. She was used to her father telling her about his day or her mother asking how her day at school was.

Veronica was the first to finish her meal. It being lasagne, there wasn't much surprise to Logan or herself.

She sat quietly at the table, waiting for Logan to finish, looking at all the trophies and awards that covered the walls and shelves within the room. Proudly placed at the centre of the mantle above the fireplace were Mr. Echolls two Oscars.

Aaron caught where she was looking and smirked.

"_Those _are my pride and joy." Aaron stated, getting to his feet. He moved to the mantle place and lifted both trophies in his hands and smiled in her direction.

Veronica shivered in response.

_There's just something about him that makes me feel ill._

Lynn finished her drink, and then her meal, excused herself, and moved to the kitchen. In the distance, ice cubes could be heard hitting a glass tumbler. Aaron was talking about his "performance of a life time" that he won his second Oscar for.

Logan wolfed down the last of his dinner to save Veronica from his father. With the final bite, he finished the lasagne, lifted his and Veronica's plates, grabbed Veronica's arm and lied through his teeth to Aaron to escape any more interesting gossip from the set of his last movie.

He dumped the plates in the dishwasher, reached for a glass from a shelf and filled it with OJ. He drank it all in three gulps and put it in the washer too.

"Wanna go back up to my room?"

Veronica nodded her answer to him and raced him to his room. Logan won and landed overdramatically onto his bed. Veronica closed the door after herself, thinking.

_Sometimes I feel jealous of Logan. His parents are famous movie stars who can buy him anything that he wants. But mostly I feel sorry for him. His parents may be rich and famous, but they don't actually care about him. His real family are his friends. _

_Me? I have a have a dad that would stop the world for me if he could and a mother who treats me as if I were the centre of the universe… at least she did._

"Earth to Mars." Logan called out, trying to wake Veronica from her daze. His hands were behind his head, giving him a better view of Veronica.

He got off the bed and moved towards her. Taking both her hands in his, he leaned his forehead against hers and kissed her on the edge of her mouth.

Veronica smiled shyly as he pulled back.

"Where'd you go?"

"Just thinking."

Veronica gave him a quick, sweet kiss and sighed, looking up at him.

"Logan, we need to talk."

"Colour me confused. I thought we were."

"We need to talk about us… and what exactly we're going to be doing about Duncan and Lilly."

Logan dropped her hands from his and sat on the edge of his bed. He tapped the spot beside himself.

Veronica dropped herself down beside him. Logan took her right hand in his again, interlocking their fingers in the process.

"What do you think we should do?" He asked, all joking put aside for the matter at hand.

"Obviously we have to break up with them. But I don't want you to lose your best friend."

"And I don't want you to lose Lilly."

Logan was looking at their entwined fingers when Veronica looked at him.

"I know that Logan, but I don't think we have much to worry about from Lilly. I think… I _hope_ she'll be okay with the idea of 'us'. It's Duncan that I'm most worried about."

Logan leaned back on the bed and sighed.

"I know. I mean, he is my best friend. On the one hand, I don't wanna hurt him. But on the other hand, I don't want to give up a chance of ever being with you."

"Ditto." Veronica replied, smiling as she poked him in the stomach.

_Where his well formed six pack is… not the time to thinking of that Veronica!_

"So, when do you plan to break up with him?" Logan asked, pushing himself back up in a sitting position.

"As soon as I can. I doubt he'll be too broken up about it… he's been so distant this past week. I think he'll be glad that I gave him a way out."

Logan began drawing circles in the back of Veronica's right hand. "So, tomorrow?" He replied, looking her in the eye with a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Actually, yeah."

Logan was well practiced on keeping his emotions in check on the outside, but on the inside he was cheering with extreme delight.

"I was just kidding." He mumbled, a hint of a laughter playing in his voice.

"I want to be with you, Logan. As soon as possible."

Logan threw his hands around Veronica's neck and dragged her lips up to his in an embracing kiss.

It was as passionate a kiss as their previous ones, but Logan held innocence in the kiss, so as to not lose control of himself against Veronica's lips again.

He was already fighting a battle... and he was losing.

Logan pulled Veronica onto his lap and dragged his tongue across the seam of her mouth. She invitingly opened her mouth to him and let him in, before using her tongue to caress his.

Their hands were reaching out, grasping at any piece of clothing, skin, to feel closer to the other.

After ten minutes, Logan's hands were, again, tangled in Veronica's long blonde hair. Veronica's hands, however, were moving with a life of their own and had travelled under the front of his t-shirt.

Logan fell back onto his bed, drawing Veronica down with him, on top of him.

Veronica pulled back, laughing, her hands still below his shirt.

The twinkle in her eye made Logan's heart swell. _He _put it there. Soon enough he was pulling her flush against his body, his hardness pushing into her stomach, as his lips found her pulse point.

She was gasping his name. Her eyes rolled up as he nipped at her ear lobe. She forced his mouth to hers and forced her tongue inside Logan's mouth.

When they came apart for a second time, it was of Veronica's own doing. She was in need of some air.

_Needing oxygen, stat! Damn, and I repeat, **damn**! That boy can kiss! _

Veronica searched for and found the alarm clock on his bedside table. She still had another hour before her father came to collect her.

"We completely forgot about taking a dip in that fabulously heated pool of yours."

Logan smirked. "Yeah, well, we kinda got distracted."

"Really? By what?" Veronica asked, rolling off his body to lie beside him on the bed.

"Actually, _you_ made _me_ get distracted. With your Promises and your lips."

Veronica sat straight up. "I did not!" She replied, her voice higher than it was before.

"Did too."

Veronica sighed, but kept a smile on her face to show she was kidding when she replied, "Fine, play your little games, I don't care."

Logan waggled his eye brows and moved his hips in a certain way that showed off the bulge in his jeans.

"I may be playing games, but they are in no way little."

Veronica blushed at the alternate meaning behind his words and started laughing.

"First you insult me, now you're laughing at me? This day keeps getting better and better!" Logan snarked, throwing an arm over his eyes. When Veronica didn't stop laughing, Logan grabbed her by her sides and rolled her back on top of himself.

"I think the only way," Logan started, leaning towards her face, " for you to stop laughing at me," He pressed a quick, desire-filled kiss to her lips, " is to do this!"

Expecting Logan to start kissing her again, Veronica threw her arms his neck. When she felt his hands begin to move up and down her sides, she realised she was mistaken.

"Remember that conversation we had earlier in the Xterra?"

"Don't you mean Big Bird?"

"Yeah, that conversation. Well, I think it's time to prove my point."

And with that, Logan started tickling her sides, making her laugh because of his actions, not at him.

"Lo-Logan, stop!" Veronica laughed, failing to push his hands away. "I won't laugh at you again, if you just stop tickling me."

"I'll only stop if you admit that you are ticklish."

"Fine."

Logan dropped his hands to either side of her body as she regained her breathe before making her announcement.

"I, Veronica Mars, am in no-way ticklish." She said, jumping off his body and running out of his room.

For a few moments, Logan was slow on the uptake, but once he realised what had just happened, he gave chase. He followed the sound of her laughing down the stairs and into the living area.

"C'mon, Ronnie, give up. You know I'll find you. I got mad detective skills."

"Nope. I'm not coming out unless you promise not to tickle me." She called out from her hiding space.

Logan smirked.

"Fine, I promise, now get your ass out here."

As she crawled out from her hiding space, underneath one of the large couches in the room, the doorbell chimed. Logan ignored it and raced to her. He lifted her into the air and dropped himself and Veronica onto the couch, both of them laughing heartily.

That twinkle was in Veronica's eyes again. Logan couldn't help himself and once again he found himself tasting her strawberry lip gloss.

The sound of squeaking trainers and the cuff of leather shoe on tiled flooring could be heard, but neither teen could draw themselves away from each other.

"Logan, honey, Duncan's here to see y… oh my!" Lynn gasped, catching Logan and his friend kissing. Knowing that Veronica and Duncan were love's young dream, Lynn turned to the other teen who had followed her into the room.

The expression was unreadable to Lynn for a few seconds, before it changed to one she knew all too well.

Rage.

All Logan could do was push Veronica away from himself before Duncan came at him, arms swinging.

Duncan's first few punches connected with Logan's face and right shoulder.

Lynn ran to her husband, screaming at him to help.

All Veronica could do was stand still, as if a statue, her hand to her open mouth, as tears began to stream down her face.

_Oh God, what have we done?_


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble, VD, Logan/Lilly  
**Word Count: **1,980  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon  
**Warnings:** Minor cussing  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Authors Note:** Thanks to Nikita for being the best beta around, italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. And thanks to all 14 reviewers. You guys rock!

* * *

As Lynn returned from the kitchen, Duncan was towering over Logan, pummelling him with every ounce of his strength.

"Aaron! Come quickly! Aaron," Lynn roared, wringing her hands in worry. She turned her attention back to the quarrelling boys.

Duncan was throwing punch after punch at Logan's face and upper body. Logan's arms were raised up in front of his face, attempting to block each attack. Duncan's fists were a blur, pounding on any piece of Logan that they could find.

Veronica had backed herself into a corner, between the drinks cabinet and the stereo system. She sat down, arms wrapped around her knees, shaking in fear.

"Duncan, stop it! DK!" Logan shouted, fighting to get to his feet, to gain a vantage point. As he moved his feet, he caught Duncan above the ankle and watched him fall to the floor.

Logan stood up and ran to Veronica, taking her into his arms. He wrapped them around her tightly, protectively. He began whispering calm words to stop her from crying. But his eyes never left the form on the floor, who was now sobbing too.

Aaron finally came running into the room, almost out of breath. He was holding the newspaper from earlier on under one arm, a glass of brandy in his other hand.

"What's all the commotion?" He questioned, joining Lynn's side. He noticed Duncan on the floor and Veronica encased in his son's arms. "What happened in here?"

"Duncan just caught Logan and Veronica kissing… apparently they've been… well, I don't actually know what they've been doing."

Veronica took one final deep breath and stepped out of Logan's embrace. She moved in the direction of her boyfriend

_I'm guessing it's 'ex-boyfriend' now._

"Duncan?" Veronica said quietly, kneeling before him. "Duncan, are you okay?"

For a few moments, all Duncan did was dab at his face with his T-shirt and push himself up to a sitting position. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but nothing came out. He snapped his mouth shut and jumped to his feet.

He backed away from the shocked, tiny blonde before him, pushing past his elders and racing to the front door. The remaining four in the living room heard the door bang against the wall, probably leaving a hole in it, and tires squeal as Duncan Kane's silver SUV raced down the driveway.

_That was expected._

Logan had crossed the room and was now standing beside Veronica. Again he took her in his arms.

"You okay?" he asked, brushing her hair from her eyes.

_Am I okay? You're the one that's going to be black and blue in the morning, if not later tonight._

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine. What about you?"

"It's not the first time, nor will it be the last time, that I've gotten into a fight. I'll be fine."

"Guess our secret's out." Veronica mused, looking deep in those brown eyes she'd already grown to love.

"Guess so."

Aaron cleared his throat, causing the couple to look in the direction of Logan's parents.

"Uh, son, do you two have something you need to tell us?"

Logan smiled, taking Veronica's hand in his for what must've been the millionth time that day.

"Yeah, we do. Me and Ronnie, we're dating." he said, smiling down at her.

"Oh Logan, I'm glad you came to your senses. As much as I like Lilly, I knew that you and Veronica were meant to be!" Lynn chirped, smiling in favour of her son and his new girlfriend. Aaron's smile faltered, but only for a couple of seconds, at Lynn's comment.

"Yeah, well, after being cheated on for the twentieth time, I thought it was time for me to go after what I wanted."

"And what you wanted was your best friend's girlfriend?"

"Yes." Logan smiled sheepishly.

"From Duncan's reaction to this news, I take it you haven't gone public yet?"

"Yeah, it's kinda a new thing, me and Ronnie. We wanted to be sure it was what we wanted before breaking the news to everyone."

A knock on the door was heard, followed by a worried "Hello?"

"Oh, Keith, come on in."

Keith closed the front door and entered the living room. The first thing he saw was his daughter's hand knotted with Logan's.

"Everything okay here?" He asked, seeing his daughters tear-soaked face and Logan's darkening cheek.

"Nothing to worry about, Mr. Mars." Logan said, gently squeezing Veronica's hand.

"Dad, we have some news."

"Does this news have anything to do with the fact that you and Logan are holding hands?"

"As a matter of fact it does. Dad, Logan and I are dating."

Keith's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly replaced it with a happy face.

"Are you happy?" he asked his daughter, his eyes prying into her own.

"Yeah… I am."

"Well that's all I needed to hear." He rubbed his hands and laughed. "Are you ready to go?"

"I just need to go upstairs and get my stuff." Veronica replied, herself and Logan already heading in the direction of his bedroom. "Be back in a few, Dad."

"I'll be here."

Veronica and Logan climbed the stairs at a steady pace, not wanting to rush any more than they needed to.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Veronica asked. They had reached his room and she was lifting up her jacket and bag.

"Honestly Ronnie, it's just a few bruises, I'll be fine."

"Really?"

"Trust me."

Logan placed both hands on the side of her face and rested his forehead against hers. He quickly kissed her and pulled back.

"So, I'm picking you up for school tomorrow." he told her confidently.

"In Big Bird?" Veronica snickered.

Logan released her face from his hands and crossed his chest protectively with his arm.

"Fine, I was going to buy Chinese food for lunch tomorrow, but maybe I shouldn't now."

"No! Wait, I'm sorry, I think you misheard me, I said 'in the Xterra', so you can still buy Chinese food for lunch."

"Hmm. Nope, I heard Big Bird."

Veronica flipped her hair and tilted her head to the side, giving Logan the puppy dog eyes that she used on her father constantly to get a later curfew.

"How can I resist the cuteness that is you?"

"It's impossible."

"That it is."

"So, call me when you get home." Logan instructed, twirling Veronica around.

"Why?"

"After spending most of the day with you, I don't think I'll be able to sleep without hearing your voice."

"Aww," Veronica said, clutching at her heart, "you're such a girl!

* * *

Once the door to Logan's room was shut, Keith asked the question he was dying to know the answer to.

"What happened before I got here?"

"Duncan." Aaron answered, tossing his paper onto the sofa.

"Duncan Kane?"

"Yes. He came over to play video games with Logan, which was when we caught Logan and Veronica kissing."

"Is that why Logan's going to have a pretty sore face come morning?"

"Right again. When he saw the two of them kissing, he was frozen to the spot in shock, then he suddenly switched, becoming a different person entirely. His eyes went dark, filled with rage. He began punching anything that belonged to Logan. Logan only got away when he tripped Duncan up."

"Duncan instantly became a different person… it was bizarre." Lynn finished, sighing. She walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured herself a vodka tonic. She took a sip and sighed again, louder.

"I was terrified that he wouldn't stop, that he couldn't stop himself." Lynn threw a look to her husband before continuing. "When he'd calmed down enough, Veronica tried to talk to him, to explain, I think. Duncan simply got to his feet and ran away. And throughout the whole ordeal, he didn't say a word. Not one."

"Okay Dad, I'm here."

Veronica was a few feet ahead of Logan as she walked down the stairs, her backpack slung onto one shoulder. As she reached the ground floor, she walked towards Logan's parents and smiled.

"Thanks for letting me hang here this evening and for dinner."

"It was our pleasure, Veronica. You're always welcome here, honey, you know that." Lynn said, hugging her son's girlfriend.

"Logan, I'd like you to come over for dinner some evening this week." Keith asked, taking his daughter's bag from her.

"No problem sir, I'm free whenever."

Keith looked at the clock on the wall and smiled.

"Looks like it's time to hitting the road. Goodbye Aaron, Lynn." Keith said, shaking Aaron's hand. He turned his attention to Logan. "See you soon." he smiled.

"Thanks again." Veronica said to everyone, but her eyes were solely on Logan. Logan mouthed 'call me'.

"Bye, Keith."

Keith threw his arm over his daughter and whispered in her ear. Veronica laughed loudly as Keith closed the front door.

"Honey, are you sure you're okay? Duncan was striking you with all his strength." Lynn asked, both hands clasped around her glass.

"Actually, I think I'll go have a shower. Loosen the tension. Then I'll hit the hay… it's been a long day." Logan replied, already climbing the stairs.

"Good night then, son. See you in the morning." Aaron said, sitting on the couch and turning the overly large TV on.

"Night." Logan mumbled, taking the stairs too steps at a time.

* * *

Once they were on the road, Keith turned down the police scanner.

"Veronica, are you sure you want to date Logan?" Keith asked. He knew that Logan was less than responsible. He'd caught him intoxicated enough times to know this.

"I'm sure. Logan's a good guy, dad, you know that."

_At least I hope you do. And when Logan comes over for dinner this week, please don't mention that you have licence to carry a concealed weapon or mention any of your more violent arrests. _

"I know, honey, I just want you to be safe."

"With Logan, I know I'll be as safe as if I was with you."

Keith smiled as her pulled into their driveway.

"How's mom tonight? She was really sick this morning."

"I don't know, sweetie, I haven't been home all day."

They got of the car, Veronica carrying her backpack by the handle as Keith went to unlock the front door.

Opening the door, he called out to his wife. When he got no reply, he told Veronica that she must be in bed already.

Veronica walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of Skist, kissed her father goodnight and went to her bedroom.

She was sitting on her bed, looking over the section of Romeo and Juliet that had been covered in English that afternoon when her cell phone rang.

The caller ID showed an unknown number, but she still answered, remember Logan's request from earlier on.

"Hello?"

"Ronnie, by my calculations, you've been home for 5 minutes already, and still no call. I'm hurt."

"I thought it would be best to call you before I went to bed, so I could remember the sound of your voice." Veronica mocked, stifling a giggle.

"Har dee har har, Veronica. So very funny. My sides are splitting from the comic genius that is you." Logan quipped, smiling at the banter they were sharing.

"How are you feeling now?" Veronica asked, opening the bottle and taking a sip.

"Still good. You?"

"Nervous about tomorrow, what with telling Lilly and the rest of the student body."

"Well don't be. We'll get through it together in one piece."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I'm Logan Echolls. It's what I am, over confident and snarky."

"You forgot 'inner softy' in your description."

"Am I ever going to live that down?"

"No."

"Goodnight Veronica."

"Goodnight Logan."

Veronica ended the call and threw the phone on her bedside table, before falling backwards on the bed, smiling contentedly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble, VD, Logan/Lilly  
**Word Count: **2,044  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon.  
**Warnings:** Minor cussing  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Authors Note: **Thanks to Nikita for the beta. Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

* * *

As happy as Veronica felt after her talk with Logan before going to bed, her dreams were plagued with flashes of Duncan attacking Logan again, or worse, Veronica herself. She woke every few hours, sweat matting her long, blonde hair which stuck to her forehead.

She took deep breaths to calm herself and reached for the glass of water on her bedside table. She took a few sips before placing it back on the table and exhaling heavily.

Her alarm flashed six AM every few seconds in a bright red glow. She lay down again, closing her eyes to the world, letting sleep take over. Any extra sleep she could grab would be a blessing in Veronica's eyes.

She would need to be well rested when facing the student body of Neptune High in just a couple of hours.

------

Veronica was just finishing her breakfast when a knock came at the front door of the Mars residence.

Keith, dressed in his sheriff uniform, reached the door before his daughter.

"Don't mention anything about guns or anything. Just be a normal dad for once, okay? Please?"

Keith gave her a look of angelic proportions that could rival her own. He opened door to find Logan facing the other direction, hand in front of his mouth, checking his breath.

Keith, stifling a throaty laugh, masked it into a cough, alerting Logan to his presence.

"Hello Logan," he said, once the boy had twirled around.

Veronica noticed that his face carried a hint of red.

_Of course, there was no complete blush, because Logan Echolls, God-King of Neptune High, would never blush. _

"Hi, Mr. Mars," Logan replied, his voice a few octaves higher that he liked.

Keith looked over the boy's face. He had been right when he said to the boy's parents last night that he'd be black and blue. His jaw was a dark purple, his cheek a light red, and around his right eye was a little blue.

"How do those feel this morning?" Keith asked, sitting at the breakfast table. He poured a cup of coffee for himself as Logan shuffled back and forth on the soles of his feet. The boy was nervous, and Keith hadn't even said anything threatening, subtle or otherwise.

He was kind of pleased with himself for that.

"It, uh, kinda stings, you know? But, it's not like I've never been in a fight before."

Before could Keith reply to Logan's answer, his daughter was already dragging her new boyfriend back out of the building.

"Bye dad, I love you, see you this evening!" she called out before slamming the door shut.

------

On the other side, Logan was beginning to breathe normally again. Being in the same room as his girlfriend's scary, gun-toting lawman of a father for just a couple of minutes made him nervous as hell. He could tell that Mr. Mars knew, but was grateful that he didn't comment on it.

"So, and be honest, how do those bruises feel?"

"They hurt like hell. But that's not unexpected. I mean, my best friend did just catch me making out with his girlfriend quite passionately on the couch."

"So, how about I kiss them better?" Veronica offered, smiling up at him. She wanted to move off that topic of conversation. The sight of Duncan throwing punch after punch at Logan was still too fresh in her mind.

"Just kiss them better?" Logan asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Hey!" she laughed, lightly hitting his shoulder. "For the moment, yes. Anyway, what else could I do to your bruises on your face?"

"Who said anything about the bruises on my face?" Logan smirked at the blushing blonde.

She laughed as Logan opened the passenger door for her. She clambered in. Logan quickly kissed her before racing around and jumping into the driver's seat.

"So, how about we play hooky today, instead of going to school?" Logan asked, starting the car.

"Logan, we need to face them all sooner, rather than later."

"I know, I just want to spend some alone time with you, is all."

"And you will, just not right now, okay?"

_I'm too nervous right now to think about doing anything with you._

"Excellent," he smirked, turning the radio on. Logan began whistling along to the song while Veronica looked out the window.

Suddenly, Veronica turned in her seat and looked at Logan.

"Did you call Duncan last night?" she asked, looking down at her knees.

"After you, I called the Kane house, yeah. Did I speak to Duncan? No. I did, however have a conversation with Ms. Kane. She asked me why Duncan was in his room, listening to some 'emo shit really loudly' after he came home from my place," Logan replied, turning the radio down.

"Oh? What else did she ask?"

"She asked if what Duncan said to that bitch they have to call a mother was true."

"And what did Duncan te-," Veronica started.

"What did Duncan tell Celeste?" Logan finished. "That we were seeing each other behind his and Lilly's back. I told her yes."

"And how did Lilly take it?" Veronica asked, finally looking up at Logan.

"I think badly, because a few seconds later all I could hear was dial tone."

"Great, just…great," Veronica said sarcastically, looking out of the window again.

------

Soon enough, Neptune High came into their sight. The dread Veronica had been feeling during most of the night and this morning returned, along with some stampeding elephants.

Logan and Lilly had shared a phone call, which seemed to have ended badly. Duncan fighting with Logan.

_What else could happen to us today?_

Logan parked the Xterra in the already crowded car park. The space beside them was taken up by a car that neither Veronica nor Logan recognised.

As they got out, Veronica nodded her head in the vehicles direction. "New student?" she asked.

"I heard a new girl would be arriving. I heard that her father is some almighty music producer…I can't remember his name."

Logan took Veronica's hand in his, knotting their fingers together in the process.

They headed for the front entrance. Veronica was trying to ignore all the staring and whispers that she could hear spreading around them. Logan, on the other hand, had his head held high, a shit-eating grin spread wide on his face.

A silver SUV stopped in front of them, blocking their way. The window scrolled down and the smirking face of the one and only Lilly Kane appeared.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here, ladies. Logan Echolls, my dear ex, and Veronica Mars, my brother's ex. Who would've known we'd throw those two together so quickly? Am I right, girls?" Lilly smirked, turning her head to face Madison, Shelley and Meg.

Madison and Shelley were laughing as if it was the funniest joke they'd ever heard. Meg, however, looked a bit pale and quite uncomfortable.

"Shut the fuck up, Lilly. We don't care about whatever you want to say to us." Logan snarled, throwing his arm over Veronica's shoulders protectively. He then led them both away from the SUV.

Lilly reversed her car, blocking them once again.

"Now Logan, I wasn't done talking yet."

"Fine, Lilly, say whatever you want and leave us alone," Veronica shouted, glaring at her former best friend.

"Wow, a backbone. When the hell did you get that, Ver-on-ica Mars?"

"When I stopped hiding in your shadow."

Lilly looked at Veronica, from the long blonde hair that was a mirror image of her own, to the pink blouse that Lilly had chosen for Veronica, and finally the pink skirt that she'd given to Veronica on her last birthday.

"Hmm. Well, it looks to me that you don't actually know the meaning of 'stopped'."

"Screw this, Lilly. Leave us the fuck alone," Logan growled. Again he led Veronica around the SUV. This time, Lilly didn't try and stop them.

Finally inside the school, Logan noticed the tears forming in Veronica's eyes. He gently squeezed her hand and led her to the girl's bathroom. Checking that no one else was in there, he blocked the door and grabbed some tissue. Handing it to Veronica, he kissed her forehead and smiled.

"You handled yourself really well back there, Ronnie."

"I'm just sick of agreeing to everything she says as if it's the law of the land."

Veronica walked over to the counter and looked herself over in the mirror as she dabbed at her eyes. She snorted at her own reflection.

"I look like a Lilly doll," she commented, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "Maybe it _is_ time to get out of her shadow, in the actual sense of the word," Veronica thought out loud.

"Everyone knows a shorter haircut is hot," Logan said, trying to lift the mood of the situation.

He twirled her around so she was facing him and quickly pecked her on the lips.

"You ok?" Logan asked, smiling at her.

"Thanks to you, I am."

"Ready to face the world again, girlfriend?"

Veronica smirked and took his proffered arm.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Veronica said, as they both headed to the door. Veronica kicked the door stop away and was about to open the door when Logan twirled her around again.

"What now? Do you want another kiss?"

"It's like, I dunno, you know me, or something," Logan snarked sarcastically, kissing Veronica again, this time with a little more passion.

Before it got too heated, Veronica pulled back and placed her hand on his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

"If you do that again, neither of us will be facing the world."

"Fine. Let's head out then."

------

Still with ten minutes to go before the first class of the day, Logan and Veronica went to their lockers. Logan clenched his fists when they had to walk past Lilly and her clique.

At her locker, Veronica saw a girl she'd never seen before, looking at map of Neptune High. The unknown girl checked the map one more time and was about to enter the teachers lounge before Veronica saved her.

"Thanks," the girl started, shaking her head in relief at not walking into the forbidden room. "I'm glad you stopped me before showing my idiotic side too quickly. I'm Yolanda," the girl said, offering her hand to Veronica.

Smiling, Veronica took her hand and shook it. "Veronica. And this is Logan, my boyfriend," she replied as Logan shook Yolanda's hand.

"Hey. So, anyone know where Mrs. Murphy's room is?" Yolanda asked, looking up at her newfound friends.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Lemme take a look at your schedule," Veronica requested. Yolanda handed her the sheet of paper. Quickly checking it, Veronica handed it back to Yolanda.

"We have the same first few classes, and then you have some with Logan."

Grateful, the girl put the paper back in her shoulder bag and followed Veronica. "So, what is there fun to do here?"

Logan and Veronica just glanced at each other in reply.

"Surfing springs to mind," Logan said, taking Veronica's hand in his as he walked her to her first class of the day.

"Of course it does. Logan spends more time on his stomach that on dry land."

"Don't you mean I spend more time on my back?" Logan smirked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Shopping is also a big attraction. In fact, I wanted to have a little retail therapy after school. You want to join me?" Veronica asked, ignoring her snickering boyfriend.

"Sure. When do you want to leave?" Yolanda asked.

"How 'bout when school lets us out?"

"OK, great."

Reaching Mrs. Murphy's room, Veronica kissed Logan goodbye as she and Yolanda entered the room. It was reasonably empty at the moment and, thankfully, Duncan wasn't there.

_Come to think of it, I haven't seen Duncan at all this morning. I wonder if he'll be coming in anytime soon?_

Yolanda and Veronica took two seats beside each other near the centre of the room. As the room filled up, Veronica received some glares and muttering.

"So, why do you seem to be the most hated person in this room?"

Sighing, Veronica answered, "It's a long story."


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble  
**Word Count: **1,567  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon.  
**Warnings:** Minor cussing  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW**  
Authors Note: **Thanks to Nikita for the beta. Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

* * *

Two weeks had already passed and Veronica still wasn't comfortable with all the mutterings and angry stares that were thrown her way, mostly by Madison Sinclair and the rest of Lilly's bitchy gang. Even after the change in style and the sexy hair cut (as Logan called it), Lilly had still tried to take Veronica down to her level.

But Veronica didn't care. She had an awesome boyfriend and a brand new and even better BFF in the form of Yolanda and nothing was going to bring her down - which was why, come the first of October, Veronica would wash the slate clean. 'Tabula Rasa' was the saying and 'Tabula Rasa' would now be Veronica's motto.

Still needing the PE credit, Veronica decided not to drop pep squad, which Lilly had talked her into joining. Her pep squad advisor had just told the group of girls that they would be holding a car wash on the third and then revealed who would be working with who.

To Veronica's disappointment, she was partnered with Lilly.

"Crap," Veronica mumbled, blowing her fringe from her eyes. Across the table, Lilly didn't seem to be taking the news with much pep either.

"Ms. Stafford, are you sure that I have to be paired with her? I mean, Madison would be so much better, or Shelley."

"Lilly, why wouldn't you want to be paired with your best friend?" the blonde asked, before sighing and walking back to her desk.

"Ugh, whatever. Madi, do you think we could swap?"

"No way, Lil, I am so not going to be her partner!"

"Help me, won't ya Shelley?"

"Sorry Lilly, you're on your own there."

Sighing, Lilly marched over to Veronica and knocked her messenger bag to the ground.

"Listen, Mars, we may have to work together, but there is no reason for us to talk to each other, comprende?"

"Sure Lilly, because I really want you to hear about your fling-of –the-week," Veronica said, lifting her messenger bag up and closing it so nothing else fell from it.

"Like I'd tell you. You lost best friend rights when you started swapping spit my boyfriend."

Lilly turned to walk away when she felt Veronica's hand on her elbow. Veronica made Lilly face her.

"So, it's wrong for him to kiss someone else, but it's a-okay for you to have sex with different guys?"

"Duh," Lilly said, in her best Valley-girl tone.

"Wow, even as I spend less time around you, I still find out how much of a bitch you really are."

Lilly shoved Veronica's hand away, flipped her long, blonde hair over her shoulder and stormed back over to her stooges.

"Slut," she said, not caring if Veronica heard her or not, taking her seat between Madison and Shelley once again.

_This is going to super fun!_

------

Sitting in the quad with Yolanda, Veronica was startled when two hands covered her eyes. She could feel the person's warm breath against her neck and it gave her goosebumps.

"Where's my sugarlips?"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Veronica uncovered her eyes and kissed Logan on the lips quickly.

"You just got 'em!"

Yolanda's laughing drew Veronica's attention away from Logan's intoxicatingly brown eyes.

"What's so funny?"

"You two. You are both so cheese-tastic!"

Veronica feigned a gasp and covered her mouth with her hand. She turned to Logan, who was now sitting beside her with her mouth agape.

"Sweetums, are we cheese-y?"

"Definitely not, we are super fine."

"See? Cheese!" Yolanda laughed, eating more of her egg fried rice.

Laughter broke out and it felt like a normal thing to Veronica. To be, once again, laughing during lunch with her new best friend and boyfriend. Looking around the Quad, Veronica noticed the daggers that Lilly had been throwing her and smirked. She continued to look around and noticed the banner for Homecoming.

"So, Yolanda, who's the special boy that's taking you to Homecoming?" Veronica asked, slapping Logan's hand away from her egg rolls.

"Kelvin Moore asked me, but I still haven't given him an answer."

"Maybe it should be no," Logan said, taking out his cell phone. He didn't want to face the cafeteria food so he decided to order in.

"Why?" Yolanda asked, her voice curious.

"Because good ole Kelvin can't put down the pipe," Logan answered, hitting the number for the Chinese place on his speed dial.

"He's a pothead? Really?"

"He failed his drug test at the start of the year, which is why he won't be on the starting line for the football team."

"Thanks for the heads up then," Yolanda replied, a little shocked at the news. Kelvin had seemed so nice when he'd asked her out. Living in LA had taught Yolanda never to trust first impressions, but moving to small town Neptune, she thought that people were…friendlier. More honest.

That's obviously not the case here.

"What about you, Veronica? Any special boy calling out to you who wants to just sweep you off your feet?"

Smirking, Veronica fluttered her eyelashes. "Well, there is the one guy, but he would never ask me…mostly because he's a tad slow."

Hanging up, Logan turned to Veronica, feigning hurt.

"Baby, are you calling me stupid?"

"Yeah," Veronica said, laughing.

"I was going to ask you out tonight after the movie, but whatever."

"Just do it now, so that all the pressure and stress I _know _you've been feeling all disappear!"

"Fine, here I go," Logan said, taking a deep breath.

"Yolanda, will you go to Homecoming with me?"

Veronica playfully smacked Logan's shoulder as he chuckled.

"Fine, okay, I was kidding. Veronica, will you please go to the dance with me?"

"Are you sure it's me that you want to ask, not Yolanda?" Logan noddded his head. "Are you positive?" Again he nodded. "Okay then, I'll go with you." Veronica smirked.

She then cleared her throat and threw her arm over his shoulder, " Ok, I want a pink limo, and a pink corsage."

"Anything else, my sweet?" Logan asked, kissing her cheek.

You in a tux, wearing a pink dickey bow."

"Your wish is my command," he replied, kissing her again. Seeing the delivery man, he got up to get his food, counting the bills along the way.

"You two…you seem so well suited," Yolanda commented.

"Ya think?" Veronica asked, watching Logan from the corner of her eye. She had been thinking the exact same thing for the past few days, but kept it to herself. Having someone else not only to see it, but to say it out loud told Veronica that she was indeed not going insane.

"Yeah, I do. You two really are together as a couple, yet you both have no trouble with arguing over the stupidest things."

"That thing with the egg rolls was the first time, and Logan should know not to go near my food, and I'm…starting to get your point."

Laughing, Yolanda replied, "So, I see that Lilly is still acting as Queen Bitch."

"With extra bitchiness. And, to put fuel to the fire, I'm being paired up with her for the car wash thing on Friday. So, I was thinking, to get it out of my head, why don't we head to Java the Hut afterwards? Getting all jazzed up on espressos?"

"It's a good idea, only… my dad wants to a talk with me, and that's the only time that he can give it to me in his 'busy schedule'."

"Well, crap."

"You can hang out with me there though, you know, afterwards. That is, if you wanted to?"

"I do. And that'll give me a chance out of that hideous outfit they make us wear."

Logan finally returned with his meal, shoving his wallet in his back pocket.

"A month ago, you were totally gushing over it," Logan reminded Veronica.

"That was before I saw Lilly for what she was and before I started dating you…maybe I should just drop pep squad altogether."

Looking terrified, Logan gave out a little squawk, "But what about those hot short shorts?"

"Still wanting to go to homecoming with me?" Veronica asked, smirking.

"Yeah."

"Then shut up and eat your lunch like a little good boy."

------

Logan dropped Veronica home after school, but it took her almost fifteen minutes to get him to go back to his own house. Veronica was getting the feeling Logan didn't want to go home, but she didn't bring up her feelings to him.

She entered the house to the smell of lasagne cooking. Wandering into the kitchen, she saw her mother standing over the stove, looking out the kitchen window to the street outside.

Clearing her throat, Veronica walked over to her mother.

"Mom, are you okay?"

"Oh, Veronica, you're home, I didn't hear you come in."

"Yeah, Logan just dropped me off…mom, are you okay?"

Lianne's face was as deathly pale as if she'd seen a ghost, though a smile broke out on her face as she hugged her daughter.

"Oh Veronica, absolutely everything is fine, okay?"

"Are you sure mom?"

"Positive honey, now go wash up, dinner'll be ready in ten minutes."

"Okay," Veronica headed for the door, but stopped and turned to face her mother once again. "Mom, I love you," she said before continuing out of the room.

Lianne reached for the glass of wine she'd hidden behind the tissue paper. Downing it, she dropped the glass into the sink.

"I love you too, sweetheart."


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble  
**Word Count: **1,716  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon.  
**Warnings:** Minor cussing and some smut.  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Author's Note: **Thanks to Nikita for the beta. Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Obviously, I've fudged up the timeline, but not by much.

* * *

Dinner with her parents had been uncomfortable, to say the least. The tension was thick in the air and when she asked what the problem was, they both said that it had been a long day and ordered her to go up to her room to start her homework.

Being the meticulous student that she was, Veronica had finished all of the day's work and read the entire act for AP English for tomorrow within the space of an hour. She was just about to watch television when her cell phone chirped. The ring tone was The Blower's Daughter, by Damian Rice, a song that Logan himself had chosen to play whenever he called her cell.

"Hiya honey!" Veronica answered, planting herself on the couch in the living room.

"Hey Ronnie, whatcha doing?"

"Watching TV, why?"

"Wanna come hang out by the pool? Mom and Dad are in LA for the night and I have the place to myself."

Smiling to herself, Veronica got to her feet again and headed to her room, "Anything you want me to bring over?"

"Vodka, Snickerdoodles, a bikini, preferably sexy, and yourself."

"In answer to the vodka, no way, but the others I just happen to have around at home," Veronica smiled, running upstairs to her room.

"See you in ten," Veronica said, opening her wardrobe and pulling out one of the bathing suits she had purchased when she and Yolanda had gone on a spending spree, something more suitable for the brand-new and improved Veronica 1.5.

"Okay, cool. Bye."

"Bye," The line clicked and Veronica heard the dial tone. She threw the phone onto her bed and closed the door before undressing quickly, throwing her suit on and redressing. She grabbed a dry set of clothes and her phone and rushed downstairs to kitchen, grabbing a container of her homemade cookies that were her specialty and rushed out to her Le Baron.

But as she rushed to avoid being late meeting Logan, she didn't hear the house phone in her room ring. Lianne did, but she left it unanswered. The message the caller left was one she'd heard the day before, and it was one she herself had replayed over and over in her head in surround sound at maximum volume.

------

Arriving at Logan's a few minutes late, she quickly typed in the unlock code for the secure gates, which began to roll back. She drove up to the main entrance, parked the car and got out.

Heading around the house to the pool, Veronica heard splashing, and figured that Logan had already dived in to do a couple of laps before she got there. She cleared her throat loudly to draw his attention to her and smiled when he waved at her before swimming to the shallow end of the pool and getting out.

As the water glistened down his already well-formed chest, she guessed from all the surfing he had done the summer previously, she felt herself drawing in his whole…package.

_Damn!_

Logan ran a hand through his wet hair and then flicked some water off his sopping chest.

_I repeat – damn!_

"Hi," Logan mumbled, giving Veronica an earth-shattering kiss.

When the kiss ended, Veronica took a breath. "Hey," She murmured, before pulling her top over her head, unbuttoning her jeans and forcing them down her legs.

She dumped her clothes, her keys and cell phone (now switched off) onto one of the many deck chairs that surrounded the pool, before kissing Logan again roughly, dragging her tongue over his lips suggestively.

Granting her access, Logan's tongue met hers with glee and they made out passionately for almost fifteen minutes in the October sun.

This time, Logan broke the kiss, needing to have actual oxygen in his lungs.

"Whoa, now that was a kiss!" he smiled, stroking the small of her back. He pulled her tight against him and kissed her cheek. "Nice to see you too, Veronica."

"I know we just saw each other a few hours ago, but you just looked so…hot there, that I couldn't physically stop myself," Veronica blushed, looking down at her feet.

Logan gently took her chin in his hand and raised her head so she would look him in the eyes.

"Don't worry, I liked it."

Smiling, Veronica tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked down at the shimmering water of the Echolls' pool.

Following her gaze, Logan smiled and put both hands on her shoulders.

"Didn't you come over so we could do something? What was that again?" he said with mock forgetfulness, before smiling down at her once again.

"Yes, swimming. Now, move rich boy, you're blocking the pool!" Veronica snarked, as she waved around Logan and sat on the edge of the pool. She dipped her feet into the cold water, before dangling herself over the edge and dropping herself below the water.

She rose to the top, throwing her soaked hair out of her face. She glanced to where Logan had been before she had submerged herself. Not finding him there, she twirled in the pool, sending ripples cascading against the walls of the deep pool. She saw no sign of him.

A moment before she was beneath the water she felt something gently grasp her foot. Once under, she saw Logan smiling at her. He brought her to his body, she wrapped her legs around his waist and, noticing him looking at her breasts, she twisted her feet and turned him around in the water. She placed her feet on his back and sent him sinking to the bottom of the pool, using the momentum to push herself to fresh air.

When she broke the surface she was laughing heartily. She swam to the shallow end and sat on the steps that rose higher with each step out of the pool, waiting for Logan to rise. She expected him to take it in good form.

She was right. A few seconds later, Logan rose to the top, gasping for air, before breaking out in laughter. He practically raced through the water to get to Veronica, who was laughing even harder now at the sight of his reddened, embarrassed face.

"Think you're funny, huh?" Logan asked, walking right between her legs. His hands found their way to her ass, lifting her down a few steps. Throwing her arms around his neck so as to keep herself level, Veronica felt the warmth from Logan's body as he thrust himself between her legs. Feeling his hardness, Veronica felt her own skin start to hum and vibrate.

"Still think you're funny?" Logan asked, his hands running through Veronica's hair. He lowered his face to hers, leaning his forehead against hers. Looking into her eyes, he teasingly kissed her quickly before drawing away.

Veronica's eyes were closed, expecting another kiss from Logan. He moved to her neck and began to kiss her and suck on her pulse point. His hands moved to her back, to the bikini's clasp. After a few minutes of struggle, he finally opened it.

Moving from her neck, Logan looked into her eyes and saw something that he felt pulsating through himself: desire.

"Is this okay?" Logan asked, not wanting to start something that would frighten her. He already loved her too much to scare her off.

"Yeah, I'm…I'm ready, it's okay," she whispered, pulling his mouth to hers, crashing together in a fit of teeth and tongues and lust.

He gently slipped the straps down her arms and lifted the clothing away. He moved his mouth away, his eyes fixed on her chest.

Blushing slightly, Veronica breathed out and looked away.

_So, I have this awesome new attitude, the perfect boyfriend and soon to be BFF and bitching new threads to match all above 'new things', but inside? Inside, I'm still the pink and virginal Veronica Mars and I still get slightly embarrassed at _anything _in any way connected to sex._

_I know what you're thinking, ironic, seeing as whom my perfect boyfriend is, but Logan's been great. He's always gone to a level that's been fine, and that's good, except I kinda think I'm ready for something… more._

"Is this okay?" Logan asked again, breaking Veronica out of her thoughts. He raised her face with his left hand so he could look into her eyes, as his right hand began rising up her chest.

She shuddered at the electricity running through her body as the pace of her breathing quickened. Logan stepped back and, giving her some distance, fished out her bikini top that had fallen to the way ide. Carefully placing it on Veronica's chest, Logan retied it behind her back and kissed her tenderly.

"Wanna dry off for a bit?"

Her mouth feeling too dry, Veronica gulped and nodded her head in reply.

Shivering slightly as she rose from the warmth of the heated pool into the chilled evening, Veronica wondered why Logan had suddenly stopped working his magic but felt too embarrassed to bring the topic up, so she just let him lead her over to her stuff; grabbing a towel, he threw it over to her happily before grabbing one for himself.

------

Ten minutes later, the couple had dried off and were lounging together on a sun chair. Veronica was draped across Logan, rising and falling in time to his breathing. She found herself almost dozing off when a loud giggling started to somehow come around the corner of the Echolls home.

"Come on out, lover, it's clear!" The well-known voice of Lilly Kane shouted as the girl in question appeared, skipping quickly.

Not noticing her two least favourite people at that moment lying together, she walked to the pool house and slid the door open.

"Lover," she called out again.

Before Veronica knew what was happening, Logan had lifted her off his body and placed her gently back on the chair. He walked hurriedly to the pool house where Lilly had entered, his fists clenching and unclenching every few minutes.

Following his path, Veronica rushed after her boyfriend and quickly caught up with at the entrance to the building.

Logan had his arms crossed, and was stand-offish and angry as hell, "What the hell are you doing here, Lilly?" he said through clenched teeth.


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble  
**Word Count: **1,520  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon.  
**Warnings:** Swearing.  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Author's Note: **Thanks to Nikita for the beta. Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Obviously, I've fudged up the timeline, but not by much.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing here, Lilly?" Logan growled through clenched teeth.

The smile quickly fell from Lilly's lips at the sound of her ex-boyfriend's angry words. She had ditched a family dinner so she could hook up with Aaron for some fun times and ego-stroking…in more ways than one.

Twirling around, Lilly smirked when she saw the angery look on Logan's face and the shocked look on Veronica's.

She hadn't even noticed the loving couple lounging on the deck chair. Throwing her long blonde hair over her shoulder, Lilly laughed. Placing her hands on her hips, she quickly wracked her brain for a feasible lie to tell the others.

"Oh, Logan!" Lilly stuttered, throwing a lithe look in his direction, a toothy smile back on her face, "I was just looking for you…I wanted to try and make it up to you for being such a bitch these past couple of weeks. I wanna make us work, baby. To try and fix us, any way possible," Lilly said suggestively, a lone hand reaching out to stroke Logan's chest.

Before it could reach his body, Logan was pushed out of the way by Veronica who then threw herself between the two.

"No way! You want to give it another go? After all of the crap you pulled these past few weeks? No fucking way! There's not a chance in hell you want him back, so tell us the damn truth!" Veronica snarled, feeling the anger bubbling up from deep inside her stomach.

Taken back, Lilly's mask of power fell only for a moment before she replaced it with a new, darker façade; "Veronica Mars, this new version totally does not suit you! Now, back off!" Lilly shouted, facing off against Veronica.

Lilly had expected the younger blonde to back down but she was shocked when Veronica not only stood her ground, but also pushed Lilly backwards, further into the pool house. "No!"

"Veronica, honey…come back over here," Logan said, soothingly.

Forcing her anger back down, Veronica stepped into Logan's arms, her eyes still locked on Lilly.

Seeing the faces on the couple, Lilly sighed and looked away before looking back at them.

"Ugh, okay, fine! I came here looking to play," Lilly lied, hoping it held up in the court of Mars.

"Sex? You came here looking for sex?" Veronica asked, disgusted.

"I would never want to sleep with you ever again," Logan said, pulling Veronica close to emphasis his point.

"What happened to your biker buddy? Not that I care but why do you think Logan would start slumming it with you again when he has me?"

"You? You think you can replace me?" Lilly scoffed. Veronica rolled her eyes as Lilly chuckled, "You think you can take my place in Logan's sex life? That is so sad."

"I may not be as…_experienced_ as you, but at least I don't cheat on the guys I'm dating."

Almost giggling, Lilly throw a hand over her mouth to cover her laughter, "Did you forget how you got Logan as your boyfriend already? You _cheated _on my brother! You know, Logan's _best _friend? Is this ringing any bells?"

"Lilly, I will not nor will I ever want to have sex with you again, okay? Now, get the hell out of my sight," Logan calmly replied, moving out of Lilly's way.

"Whatever. See you Friday, Veronica." Lilly threatened, walking past the duo. But before she had passed Logan, Lilly stroked Logan's chest seductively.

Fingers dripping with anger, Veronica fell from Logan's grasp and roared into the October sky.

"I can't believe I used to hang on every one of her stories! She is a conniving, evil, twisted, spoiled, BITCH!" Veronica yelled, stamping her feet.

As Veronica stormed around the pool house, yelling all the names she could call Lilly under the sun, Logan looked on in awe and wonder. Here was the girl of his dreams insulting his former girlfriend and her former best friend, defending his honour and her own as she spouted out all the problems Lilly had and how she had made herself worse.

Sensing that Veronica had burned out her rage, Logan led her to the bed in the centre of the room and kissed her as a way of thank you.

"What was that for?" Veronica asked, once the mind-numbing kiss had ended.

"Think of it as my thanks to you, for defending my honour, so to speak."

"I was defending my own honour too. She came over here looking to get off and instead started spinning tales about us…of course I was going to defend us."

"And you stood up to her again. I think it's a great that you've changed so much, okay? So don't listen to that bull that Lilly was spewing out, alright? Because I think this new version of you is really hot," Logan said, kissing her again.

They quickly fell back onto the bed and were petting heavily when, pulling back, Logan started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Veronica asked, her voice small.

"Didn't you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Veronica asked, confused.

"Your stomach just growled!" Logan said, rolling to the left hand side of the bed.

"Oh," Veronica blushed, eyes darting around the room, "well, it's been a few hours since I ate."

Laughing louder, Logan sat up on the bed.

"Hey, I'm a growing girl who loves her food, so don't laugh!" Veronica said, swatting his shoulder.

His laughter ebbing, Logan reached out for Veronica's hand and interlocked their fingers, "Fine. Want to go get something to eat? _I'm_ starting to feel a tad peckish, too."

"Since when were you a seventeen year-old English girl?" Veronica said, quickly laughing, "But yeah, food would be a good thing right now."

Jumping off the bed, Logan offered both hands to Veronica who gratefully accepted. Logan pulled her off the bed and they both walked towards the Echolls' family kitchen.

Grabbing some blue corn chips and a couple of bottles of Skist, they marched back out to the pool. Logan dropped himself onto his chair as Veronica carefully laid out the towel so as to cover the gaps so she wouldn't have red marks when she got back up again.

Letting Veronica relax for a few minutes, Logan opened the packet of chips and took a handful. Munching on two of them, Logan offered the snack to Veronica who took few chips.

"Feel better?" Logan asked, once she had eaten them.

"Much," Veronica smiled, taking another drink.

"So, what do you wanna do now?" Logan asked, opening his own drink and take number of quick gulps.

Smirking, Veronica placed her drink on the ground beside her and launched herself onto Logan, "I have a few ideas."

------

It was just coming up to half eleven when Veronica finally left her boyfriend, having kissed him speechless for almost two hours.

She had already missed her curfew (half ten) so she knew that her parents would not be all that pleased that she was out so late on a school night with not just a boy, but her boyfriend.

Using her key to unlock the front door, Veronica attempted to sneak past the living room to her bedroom. But the loud crack as the front door snapped shut gave her away.

"Veronica, could you come here for a minute?"

_Crap._

_Well, maybe I can weasel my way out of this…somehow._

Taking her time to answer her mother's call, Veronica slowly slid the door open. A rattling echoed as the door opened fully. Glancing down, Veronica noticed the empty gin bottle. She then saw the empty beer bottles that were thrown all over the floor.

"Yeah, mom?" Veronica asked, picking up the empty bottle. She placed it on the coffee table before her while waiting for her mother to say something.

"Were you with that Kane boy again?" her mother asked, words slurred, eyelids heavy with drink and sleep.

_Duncan? Why is she asking about Duncan? She knows that I'm seeing Logan now. He was even over for dinner last week, which she had prepared._

"No, mom, I was with Logan. Duncan and me broke up a few weeks ago, remember?"

"Oh…tha - that's good. I never liked that family. His mother…his mother is Pan High bitch. Only cares about her son's well being…that's all that matters," Lianne said, before her head drooped and she started snoring loudly.

Confused as to what was behind her mother's words, Veronica gathered up the empty bottles and threw them in the trash. She then wrapped a blanket around her mother, kissing her good night on the forehead.

Moving tiredly up the stairs, Veronica entered the bathroom, washed her face and brushed her teeth.

Soon she was in bed, wrapped up warmly. She recalled the events of the day and felt proud of herself…but also worried.

_What is Lilly up to? What was my mother talking about? _

When she finally did fall asleep, her father had come home and escorted his wife upstairs to the spare bedroom and turning in himself, as it was nearing two in the morning.


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble  
**Word Count: **1,813  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff later.  
**Warnings:** Swearing.  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Author's Note: **Thanks to Nikita for the beta. Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Obviously, I've fudged up the timeline, but not by much.

* * *

Thursday had come, without any major catastrophes so far. Veronica and Logan had been lucky in escaping from any contact with any member of the 09er-dom. It was finally lunch and the two were at their usual table, waiting for Yolanda to arrive before ordering food.

They had avoided the topic of Lilly Kane since the night before and were both happy to keep doing it. That was until Yolanda rushed up to their table and, in the process of catching her breath, tried to explain what had happened.

"Your…your car, Logan. It's - it's, I dunno what happened, but -" she said, saying nothing that remotely made sense to the couple before her.

"Yolanda, breathe slowly," Veronica instructed, her fingers idly playing with the fingers on Logan's left hand.

Taking the advice, Yolanda breathed slowly through her nose and filled her lungs.

"Someone trashed your car!" she finally revealed, much to the shock of Logan and Veronica.

Quickly, Logan jumped to his feet and ran off to the car park, keys in hand and a hot blonde and her BFF at his feet.

Lilly, Dick, Duncan and the rest of the 09ers looked on in amusement, laughing loudly and openly at their attack.

"What made you go on the offensive, Lilly?" One of the 09er girls asked, her eyes twinkling with awe and wonder at the queen before her.

"Oh, I just thought it was time that I show love's young dream what happens when you mess with Lilly Kane!" she said extravagantly, before facing Dick, Caz and Casey, "Oh, and boys?" She said, licking her lips, making them quiver with anticipation, "Thanks for your help…I couldn't have gotten it all done by myself in one period."

"I was glad to help," Casey said, watching Lilly's heaving bosom dance enticingly.

"Oh, hell yeah, it was my pleasure!" Dick said, smiling stupidly in Lilly's direction.

Caz, being Lilly's latest toyboy, leaned over and felt Lilly's lips brush his own, then her tongue a second later.

"What about your girlfriend?" Lilly said seductively, her hands stroking his bicep.

"Dumped her ass yesterday! Why keep the snack when I have the four course dinner?" he joked, leaning down for another kiss. But before he made contact, Lilly had pushed him away and was sighing loudly.

"You did?" she asked, sounding a tad upset, as she searched the quad for Sabrina before shifting closer to Casey. "Then this isn't fun anymore! Now shoo, you're blocking my manhunt."

"Just like that, it's over?" Caz said angrily.

"Uh-huh," Lilly said, before leaning in close and whispering something dirty to Casey that made him blush a deep shade of red.

------

Arriving at Logan's car, Veronica realised that Yolanda's 'trashed' comment was an understatement. The SUV was up on blocks, all four tires and the spare missing, the windshield smashed, window wipers snapped like kindling, and all of the lights were broken.

"One guess as to who did this," Logan said, running a hand through his hair before he kicked at the ground, sending a number of stones against the wreckage of the car.

"I can't believe she went this far!" Veronica growled, her anger bubbling just below the surface. She had taken a stance of anger and Logan had to control himself from kissing her.

"This is the end of it!" Veronica said as she faced the direction of the entrance. She would finally rip Lilly a new one. She hadn't decided what exactly she'd rip, but she figured Lilly would miss her mouth a lot.

"Wow, slow down there Ronnie, we don't know for sure if it was her," Logan said, taking his cell phone from his pocket and calling triple A.

"Hi, this is Logan Echolls. I need you to collect my car for service…the problem? I had an accident. It's in the Neptune high car park… bright yellow, but that won't be how you'll recognise it. Thanks."

He walked over to Veronica and took her hand in his before leading away from his car.

"They'll be here in twenty, which gives us enough time to come up with some sort of retaliation."

"Revenge," Yolanda said, smirking, "You two would make Bonnie and Clyde jealous!"

Smiling, Veronica dropped her messenger bag at her feet as she sat down on the grass.

"Thanks Yo!"

"Yo?" Yolanda said, laughing softly at the nickname, "I kinda like it."

"See, I told you it would work!" Veronica said, poking Logan, "Now, back to this talk of retaliation. I have an idea of what we could do tomorrow at the car wash."

"Ooh, do tell!" Yolanda smiled, sitting alongside Veronica.

"Well, since we know that Lilly can't get enough attention, how about we do just that?"

"Give her attention?" Logan questioned, sitting on the other side of Veronica, "That's not really revenge then, is it?"

"Who said it was from us…or good attention?" Veronica said, smirking.

"Continue," Yolanda replied, sounding intrigued.

------

The girls left Logan at his car as he waited for AAA to arrive and tow his car, in search of food. They had agreed to meet up at Veronica's that evening to go over the fine details of Veronica's plan of action.

"So, you and Logan seem to be getting on really well."

"Yeah, he's great. We're great."

"Excited about Homecoming?"

"As much as I would be about asking the Kane's to support me at Stanford," Veronica snarked, eyeing the lasagne in front of her.

"What's so wrong with them…beside Lilly being a complete bitch?"

"They own everyone and everything in town. Jake Kane is this computer genius who earns more in one week than my dad could in about five years. His wife Celeste thinks that nothing is good enough for her son – baseball, football, me –"

"You and Duncan?" Yolanda said, disbelieving.

"Yeah, we were together since we were twelve, up until a few days before you got here. It seemed so right, me with Duncan and Lilly with Logan. The student body called us the 'Fab Four.'"

"Lemme guess, it wasn't all that fabulous?"

"You win a prize! Lilly would cheat on Logan with anything that moved, and she did that constantly. And the last couple of weeks before we broke up, me and Duncan were just so disconnected. We barely talked, or spent time with each other. The only times we saw each other was during lunch. Sometimes, it felt like he was ignoring me."

"Ouch, that's gotta hurt. So, if you both were involved with a Kane, then how did you and Logan get together?"

"That was Lilly's doing, as a matter of fact."

"What?"

"Yeah, I know, it shocked me too when I realised that. She had thrown this back-to-school party a week after school had started again. The alcohol poured fast, and someone, Dick I think, shouted out 'Truth or dare!', so we all agreed to play and got into a circle, me beside Duncan, Lilly and Logan across from us. Dick and Madison were to my right, Casey and Shelley were beside them, and Cole and Meg were between Duncan and Lilly."

"Sounds…delightful," Yolanda said sarcastically as she ordered up a plate of French fries and ketchup.

"You got it. So, Lilly of course went first and chose dare, so Dick dared her to do a sexy strip. Being Lilly, she accepted the offer, and stripped to her bathing suit, much to Logan's jealous streak. He grabbed a bottle of vodka from the couch and started doing shots. The game kept going on and on, Logan getting drunker and drunker, when it came to my turn. Not yet drunk enough, I choose truth."

The girls paid for their food and returned to their table. Yolanda motioned for Veronica to continue her story, and she did.

"Lilly knew that I liked Logan, had for a while at this point. She knew that I wouldn't do anything about, because I was with Duncan and I would never cheat. Anyways, Lilly asked who, besides Duncan, did I like. I sheepishly answered and then blushed as Logan started to stare at me."

"The game fizzled out and the others went outside to go skinny dipping, which of course Lilly suggested, leaving me, Duncan and a very drunk Logan sitting on the floor."

"Awkward much," Yolanda said, laughing.

"Yeah, it really was. Duncan said he was going to get a beer and left me with Logan, even though he had heard my revelation. I felt really out-of-place, and nervous. Logan was still doing shots but his eyes just had not left me since the game. He crawled over to me and just started talking to me about Lilly. He was complaining that he knew she was cheating on him again. I was a friend and took his hand in mine to give him comfort."

"You're kind of like a marshmallow, you know that, right?" Yolanda interrupted, taking her bottle out of her hands and taking a couple of sips.

"I've been told that before. Maybe it is true."

"I really think there's no 'maybe' about it, V. Now back to your story."

"Right, so I was holding Logan's hand. He kind of got to his feet, and wobbling some, he lifted me to my feet and placed my hands around his neck as his hands went to my hips. I could feel his breath on my face, and saw the seriousness in his eyes and I was thrown. I started asking all these questions like did he like me like I liked him? Of course, these were in my head. And it happened in slow motion, I think. He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. My breath was caught in my throat. My dreams were coming true. As soon as his lips left mine, they had returned with a lot more passion. And we just stood there, in the Kane poolhouse, kissing."

"Wow, that's kinda romantic."

"Yeah, it really was. Until we heard someone running. We had just broken apart when Duncan returned with a beer in one hand and a rum and coke in the other. Logan wandered outside and there was this splash. He'd jumped into the deep end of the pool. And I felt sick as Duncan asked me what was up with him. I lied and said it was Lilly."

"That's all he said?"

"Yeah."

"He didn't ask why you were bright red or why you were being distant?"

"I don't think he even noticed any of that!"

"Wow," Yolanda said, shocked, "Wonder what was up with him then."

"You're not the only one…"

The girls were quiet as they feasted on their lunches. A few minutes later Logan returned, stealing a few fries from Yolanda's plate in the process. Kissing Veronica's forehead, he sat beside her on the bench.

"So, about this plot of revenge you were brewing?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble  
**Word Count: **2,506  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff later.  
**Warnings:** Swearing.  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Author's Note: **Thanks to Nikita for the beta. Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Obviously, I've fudged up the timeline, but not by much.

* * *

That night, Logan and Veronica were cuddling on her bed. She, Logan and Yolanda had gone over every detail of their revenge tactics and had already started the first two phases.

Having her own part to play in operation: Lilly Takedown, Yolanda had headed home at around seven thirty to figure out exactly how to do it. Saying goodbye to her best friend and her close friend, Yolanda rushed home leaving the couple laughing happily at their little game.

"So, you like the plan?" Veronica asked, once they had both caught their breath.

"I love it," Logan said, kissing her cheek, "Who knew the sheriff's daughter would do something so…_tawdry_, to an ex-best friend, is beyond me."

"You see a lot when you hang around the sheriff's office…"

"I guess you do."

The slow, soft piano music of 'Same' by Snow Patrol echoed through out the room as the two fell quiet. They often did this. Just sit in each others company, enjoying the romance of their relationship, not having to say anything to get their thoughts and feelings across.

Logan found it incredibly sincere that neither needed to say anything, just holding each other to feel close.

"Your parents home yet?" Veronica asked, breaking the silence.

"As of this afternoon, Mom had an appointment with her stylist. Apparently she needs a change," Logan said, hoping not to have given too much away to his girlfriend. But with his girlfriend being Veronica, he knew instantly that she knew his reason for not wanting to leave.

_I always knew that Logan didn't get on well with his dad, but after last night at his pool, it was too hard to ignore all the scars and dark bruises that covered his skin. Everything suddenly clicked for me…why Logan wore long-slieved shirts even when it's 100 degrees even in the shade, why he always had antiseptic in his locker…all the little things that hadn't made sense before suddenly did._

_But I didn't say anything to him, and I won't. I know he'll tell me when he's ready. Now all I have to do is wait._

"Thanks for using your money for this plan of action," Veronica said, sitting up on her bed and facing him.

"Hey, its Dad's money, what else could it is used for? Anyway, it's paying for the repairs to my car, which will definitely be in the thousands, and it needs to do something bad now."

"It does, does it?" Veronica said, leaning close to Logan so much that their noses touched gently every so often, "Did it tell you this itself?"

"No silly, I just know 'cause it's like me. I did good, repairing my car, and needed to act out my anger on something, so of course paying for certain services would be the bad."

"Ah, but that's the thing," Veronica said, pressing a quick kiss to Logan's mouth before continuing, "You really have this warm, gooey centre inside. That whole bad boy thing? Total cover."

"Is that a fact?" Logan asked, kissing the corner of Veronica's mouth.

"Definitely."

He kissed her harder this time, stroking the seam of her lips with his tongue for mere seconds before drawing back, eliciting a moan of need from Veronica's lips.

"Well then, maybe I should show my true inner gooeyness," he said, pulling back and drawing his feet under him, so that he was sitting Indian style on her bed.

"Ready for this?" he asked her. She nodded her head slowly, a look of curiosity playing on her features. "Okay then, here goes it – I love you. I'm madly, deeply, painfully in love with you. You make my heart beat like a samba bassline. You make me nervous, excited, and thrilled all in the same moment. I can't stop thinking about you. When I sleep, I dream only of you. When I wake, my first thought is you. I love you."

Her mouth was open, and her hand was over her heart. Her watering eyes were locked onto his and she couldn't stop her heart bouncing in her chest, no matter how slowly she breathed. She crashed her mouth to his, thrust her tongue into his mouth and fought for control of the kiss.

Winning out, Veronica forced Logan to fall back on the bed as she sat on his lap, still kissing him hard. Feeling his arousal from his jeans, Veronica felt herself blush. But a different feeling spread warmth through out her body – pride.

Pride that she was the one causing his excitement. Pride that she could such an effect on him like this. All of this caused her to shove her tongue further into his mouth. Having retold the story of their first kiss to Yolanda at lunch, Veronica realised that the strong taste or, in fact, any traces of alcohol had vanished from Logan's kisses.

Pulling back, Logan dropped his head to Veronica's pillow and sighed contentedly. He pulled Veronica down on top him, resting her head against his chest as he kissed her hair.

"I love you," he said again, his words reaching her heart and sending it into a samba once more.

"I love you too, Logan. It's something…actually, it's the _only_ thing I'm sure of right now."

_Mom is still drinking and passing out, Dad is still making excuses for not being home a lot, and their arguments are getting longer. Logan's the only thing that keeps me grounded right now, and I'm so glad to have him in my life right now, as my own._

"Everything okay here?" Logan asked, breaking her thoughts.

"It's just that… Mom and Dad only talk when they're arguing but both keep telling me the same things, everything's fine, we're working it out. They think I don't know the truth."

"And what's the truth?" Logan asked, knotting their fingers.

"Dad filed for divorce. The papers came by yesterday when he was at work. I left them on his desk before dinner yesterday evening."

"Why didn't you tell me this when you came over last night?"

"I wanted to spend some time with just you, none of these problems swimming around in my head. But that didn't really matter, 'cause Lilly showed up and was a bitch."

"Are you okay?"

"I…I've known it was coming for a long time, but just holding the actual papers in my hands, knowing what it all meant…it really gave me a shock," Veronica said, looking at the picture of herself standing before her mother and father hung on her bedroom wall.

Before, it would've been surrounded with pictures of Veronica and Lilly, and herself and Duncan and the Fab Four. Now, all that was beside it was a picture of herself and Logan and a new one, of her and Yolanda, that she had taken at the start of the week.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I think so. I hope so."

The moment was then broken by an incessant rock song, which Veronica soon realised was 'Who Are You' by the Who. Laughing at the irony of Logan's choice of ring tone, Veronica moved out of his way as he reached for the ringing phone on her bedside table.

"Hello? Hiya Mom. I'm at Veronica's," Logan said. He paused for a moment, and then sighed heavily, "Fine, I'll be home in a few, okay? Bye," The line clicked.

He forced his phone back into his pocket and took both Veronica's hands in his and kissing her on each cheek. He got off her bed and retook her hands in his, kissing her hard. He placed her down on the bed and then kissed her again.

"I gotta go," he said sadly, kissing her again. "I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"How? The Xterra is in the shop."

"I'll have Dad's driver collect us."

"Limo ride? Nice! It'll go well with our devious plot!"

Laughing, he chastely kissed her. "I thought it might."

"What?"

"You really are just after my money!"

"And your looks, don't forget that," Veronica snarked, kissing him again.

"Yeah, I won't." Logan stroked her cheek lovingly as he stared in the pools of her eyes.

"You sure you'll be okay with putting the cards up on your own?"

"With a taser, a big burly dog and a car with four wheels _and_ an engine! I think I'll be safe."

"Good," Logan said, kissing her again, leaning his forehead against hers. He pulled back and kissed her forehead.

"See ya tomorrow."

"Bye."

Smiling contently, Veronica got to her feet and moved to her desk. She opened her messenger bag and retrieved her English book.

_Being an evil genius is great an' all, but a girl can't give up the study. I'll get some study done before heading out in the Le Baron to commence another part of phase one. _

-----

The first call came at five thirty in the morning. And again, on and off, every fifteen minutes afterwards. After what felt like the sixth call, Lilly Kane turned off her cell and rolled over, trying to catch as many z's as she could before she had to go to school.

That's when the calls to the house started. They came in a quicker succession, nearly one every ten minutes. Lilly threw her hands in the air, exasperated by the constant ringing that echoed throughout the quiet mansion. Flipping her pillow over her head, Lilly grunted loudly.

A half hour later, the ringing hadn't stopped, and she could hear the hired help arriving. They spoke rapidly in Spanish at the constant ringing, and then slowly spoke in English. Lilly could hear her own mother and father in kitchen. They must've done something, as the ringing finally stopped.

Getting up and out of bed was her only option now. She grabbed her pep squad outfit and moved to her bathroom. Showering, brushing her teeth and fixing her hair and make-up, Lilly checked herself in the mirror. Running her fingers through her golden locks, she smirked at her reflection in the mirror.

"I'm too hot for this lil' sleepy town!"

Wanting to quench the hunger she was feeling, Lilly entered the kitchen to find her mother and father sat at the breakfast bar. Both were still in the bedclothes, with dressing gowns drawn around their bodies. Her mother held a cup of coffee, her father the newspaper.

"What's up, pops?" Lilly said, bouncing up to her father and kissing his cheek. She sneered at her mother and moved to the fridge to get some orange juice. She then got a glass and filled it full of orange nectar.

"Lilly, sit down."

Her father's voice was forceful, not at all like she was used to. That tone she always expected to hear from her mother's voice was now embodied by her father. Knowing there was no point in trying to fob her way out of this, whatever she had done, and sat before them both.

"What seems to be the problem, chief?" Lilly joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"This," Jake Kane said, opening the newspaper on a certain page and slid it in front of his daughter. He pointed to the specific part that was causing himself and his wife so much trouble.

"Care to explain this?"

Lilly just sat there in shock. What the hell is a picture of her fine self and both the house number and her cell number doing on a sex phone line? It was a picture of her in her bathing suit from the summer just gone by, leaning down so that her breasts were almost falling out of her bra. Below it was the headline 'Call anytime and get off, no matter how naughty…no matter how nasty your kink.'

"For God's sake, say something, Lilly!" Jake shouted.

"I dunno!"

"You 'dunno'? That's it? That's all you can say?" Celeste questioned, shaking her head in disgust.

"I can explain the picture, but that's it, I swear!" Seeing the look her mother gave her, Lilly continued, "It's from this summer. Me, Logan, Duncan and Veronica were at the beach, as usual Veronica had her camera. Logan stole it. I did a few poses. This…this is one of the results."

"You wouldn't by any chance know who put the house number and your cell number in the ad?"

"No!" Lilly quickly answered. Her brother then entered the kitchen. Her mother threw an annoyed look at Lilly before moving to the medicine cabinet and getting Duncan's pills. She placed them on the counter, before retrieving a glass and filling it with water.

Grabbing a breakfast bar, Duncan ate it quickly, then took his tablets under the careful watch of his mother.

"Go to school, then come straight home. In the meantime, I'll sort this out." Her father instructed.

"Whatever!" Lilly mumbled, "Let's go, Donut," she said, grabbing her brother and taking him out of the kitchen.

"Celeste, find the number of a private detective for me," Jake ordered.

As Lilly started the engine to her silver SUV, she threw a look at her brother before gunning the engine.

"We need to have another confrontation with Mars and her toyboy."

"What did they do now?" Duncan asked, looking out the window at the passing scenery.

"Didn't you hear all the phone calls?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I was out cold."

------

Logan handed over the five twenties to a stoner-looking dude, Corny, he thinks is his name, and smiled down at his hot blonde girlfriend.

"Why exactly am I paying some random guy a hundred bucks in twenties?"

"Makes it feel like I have more money," the boy said, sliding the cash into his jacket pocket. He then high-fived with Veronica before exiting the computer lab.

"So, the major part of phase one should already have taken place this morning, and phase two is already in full swing and I have the final phase, phase three, marked as a work-in-progress, thanks to our good friend Yolanda."

"Only three parts to this plan?"

"Not enough for ya, big boy?" Veronica said, smirking.

"As long as they're just evil enough, I think I'll be okay."

"Do'ya wanna see the next part then?"

"Sure, lead the way," Logan said, taking a marching pose.

Taking his hand in hers, Veronica practically dragged Logan out into the corridor and down to the locker area that was set aside for the juniors. Already a crowd was surrounding a portion of the lockers.

Forcing her way through the crowd, Veronica stood before Corny's masterpiece. It was a picture of an almost naked Lilly, draped across the laps of three different guys, with the words 'slut', 'whore' and 'bitch' circling the image.

Logan laughed loudly at the image for a number of minutes before he felt Veronica's hand dragging him away once again.

"Where are we goin'?" he asked as they turned the corner.

"Away from the scene of the crime, obviously."

Smirking, Logan slowed Veronica's escape.

"I guess you can learn a lot from hanging around a sheriff's office."


	13. Chapter 13

**Title: **Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble  
**Word Count: **2,394  
**Rating: **PG-13, so far.  
**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff later.  
**Warnings:** Swearing.  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Author's Note: **Thanks to Nikita for the beta. Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Obviously, I've fudged up the timeline, but not by much.

* * *

"Right girls, show the best pep! I don't want any idle gossiping – unless it's with a donating customer!" Ms. Stafford said, a sickly-sweet smile plastered onto her face.

The pep squad were in line before her, dressed in their outfits. Miss Stafford had allowed them to leave school before the last class in order to arrive at the car wash in time.

Veronica hoped that Yolanda had completed her section of phase three; otherwise this car wash was going to go down the tubes. The illicit painting, on the other hand, had gone down extremely well…or bad, if you were Lilly Kane.

Through the grape vine, Veronica heard that Lilly had arrived looking wickedly pissed off and, when she arrived at her locker, she instantly turned bright red and screeched. She threw death glares at the other students who had surrounded her locker before shoving her backpack into her brother's hands and running off in search of the janitor.

_So, phases one and two went excellently, and with the final stage about to begin, I guess all that's left to say is that the bitch is going to meet her maker!_

Once her pep talk was over, Ms. Stafford directed the girls to their sections and had them all collect buckets and sponges and await the incoming traffic of customers.

First on the scene was Logan. Since his big yellow truck was out of commission, he had arrived in his father's limo. Veronica smirked when she noticed that her ex-best friend was none too pleased to see it coming in their direction.

Sliding down his window, Logan pulled Veronica to him and quickly kissed her. He then handed her a couple of bills.

"Now, be careful, cause this is my baby," he joked, sitting back in the seat. Veronica threw him a look which caused him to laugh, "You're right, I don't care, go nuts with it!" It was then that Veronica noticed her BFF beside her BF.

"Hey Yo!" she called out cheerfully. She threw her a look, asking if everything was on schedule. When she received the thumbs up, Veronica couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Today is going to be super fun!" she called out to the two in the vehicle. Chuckling, Logan moved the window back up and waited for the cleaning to begin.

Both Lilly and Veronica grabbed a sponge while Lilly lifted a bucket of soapy water and placed it between herself and Veronica.

Turning to Yolanda, Logan waited a few moments before speaking.

"When will the first be showing up?"

Glancing at the clock in the dashboard, she smiled, "'Bout five minutes."

"Excellent!" said Logan, Doing his best Mr. Burns impression.

They both laughed for a few minutes while the girls outside continued to wash the SUV. A couple of minutes later, a cop and a fireman began to head in Lilly's direction.

"Looks like two came together," Yolanda said.

"Did you give them their outfits?" Logan asked.

"Of course I did! What kind of fool do you take me for? Do you really think I wanna get on the bad side of your girlfriend? Anyway, shouldn't you be doing something now?"

Logan's face was blank for a moment before he remembered his only task for the final phase and quickly slid down the dividing window and passed the driver a CD to put on.

Just as the cop and the fireman reached Lilly, Right Said Fred's 'I'm Too Sexy' blasted out from the speakers. Logan had the driver open the sunroof and all the windows so the music could be heard properly.

Lilly was glued to the ground. First she thought something awful had happened, what with the cop and a fireman walking in her direction, but when she heard the cheesy camp song begin to play, she knew it was just a prank.

And when the two men began to strip and gyrate in her direction, Lilly's blood began to boil.

She tried to get away from the men, but they followed her everywhere. Soon, three more arrived, and all got stuck in, stripping and dancing around her.

Veronica pulled her pep squad top off to reveal a t-shirt that said 'Veronica Mars is smarter than me'. As the men removed their last piece of clothing at the same time, they all had the same style of underwear on. And they all had the same saying.

"Veronica Mars is smarter than me," Lilly read. She glanced at Veronica, who was, by now, in stitches with laughter, she was almost crying. She looked at the limo and saw her ex-boyfriend and the new girl standing out of the sun roof. Both were cheering and screaming stupidly. After another five minutes, Ms. Stafford arrived on the scene and shooed the men away, before facing Lilly.

"Miss Kane, as much as your parents may be rich, this was a stupid prank to pull. Add that to the painting on your locker and the advertisement in this morning's newspaper - what must your parents be thinking? Now, get back to work."

As their pep squad advisor walked away, Lilly noticed Logan paying the five guys and overheard him congratulating them on "a job well done".

With that, Lilly saw red. She marched towards the laughing form of Veronica Mars and shoved her hard. Veronica lost her balance and feel to the ground hard. She scraped her back and elbows hard and felt hot blood begin to flow from the cuts.

"You did all of this! Didn't you? You put that smutty picture of me on my locker and placed those 'call me' ads in the newspaper and hired those guys! All of this is your fault!"

Lilly picked up the closest bucket; one filled to the brim with dirty water, and threw it over younger blonde.

"Do you know what you've done, you little bitch?" Lilly spat, dropping the bucket beside her. "Huh? You screwed everything up!"

Spluttering and coughing as she sat up, Veronica looked on, disbelieving, as Lilly stormed away to her silver jeep. Miss Stafford had witnessed the tail end of the argument and rushed to aid Veronica to her feet.

"Oh no, are you all right Miss Mars?" she asked, before noticing her student's blood-stained arm. "I think you should head home and clean up. I'll have Shelley take over your post. And then I'll be have a talk with Vice Principal Clemmons about Lilly Kane's actions later this evening. Are you alright to get home?" Miss Stafford asked as she handed a towel to Veronica.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. My car is just over there."

"Okay, then I'll see you Monday morning. Safe driving."

Veronica said goodbye and headed to her boyfriend's limo. She explained what she was going to do. Logan asked his driver to take Yolanda home, who was grateful that nothing worse had happened, while he drove Veronica back to her house.

Yolanda returned to the limo and waved goodbye to her friends as Logan helped Veronica to the LeBaron.

"How did it get here? I thought it was still in the shop?" Logan asked as he helped Veronica into the passenger seat while he dropped himself into the driver's.

"Dad had one of his deputies drop it off during lunch. He knew I had no way of getting here without it and he couldn't afford to leave work early to collect me so he decided to pick it up earlier than planned. But it's working as good as ever."

"And how are you doing?"

"Couple of aches and scrapes, nothing major. I just wanna take a shower and change into actual clothes."

Smirking, Logan took her left hand in his and squeezed.

"I think it's hot."

"Of course you would."

"So, I guess your plans for hanging out with Yolanda have gone down the crapper, right?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Veronica answered, easing the towel from her elbow. It was stained in a deep red.

_I'm glad I'm not squeamish._

"Why?"

"I was wondering," Logan started, clearing his throat as he turned into the 09er road, "if you wanted to hang out round the Echolls family pool again this evening? Or maybe just watch some DVDs in the pool house?"

"Sure, let me just shower and change into less wet clothes."

Logan chanced a glance at his girlfriend and felt the air being knocked out of him. The top was just clenching to her body thanks to the water. Logan gulped twice before facing the road again.

"You alright there, Logan?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah, why?" Logan answered, his voice raising on the word 'why'.

"It's just that your ears have gone all red…and now your neck is too. What's up?"

Logan groaned at her choice of words and shifted uncomfortably in the seat. He glanced at her and smiled.

"I'm fine. Trust me, everything is good."

"Okay then, if you're sure?"

"I'm positive."

"Well…good then, I guess." Veronica said, wondering what was going on with him.

They arrived at her house a few minutes later. Veronica directed Logan to the kitchen and told him to grab something if he was hungry. Veronica rushed upstairs to the her room and chose an outfit quickly before heading to the bathroom. She turned the water on and stepped beneath the shower head, twisting the knobs to find the right temperature.

Finding it, she sighed contentedly as she stood beneath the water for a few seconds before cleaning away the dried blood and muck from her hair.

Ten minutes later she returned to the kitchen to find Logan eating Poptarts and drinking a bottle of her Skist.

She moved to a cupboard and retrieved the first aid kit that her father had insisted they have. She grabbed the safety scissors and the large roll of band-aids. Walking to Logan, she held them out for him to take.

Confused, Logan said, "What do you expect me to do with this?"

"Patch me up…doc," Veronica said, smirking.

Logan cut off a number of strips and gently placed them over her fresh wounds.

"How come we always end bandaging up each other after a run in with Lilly?" Logan asked, tossing the scissors and plaster into the box and returning it to its rightful place.

"Fate," Veronica mused, taking the last of Logan's Poptarts and taking a bite.

"Oh, so we're what, star-crossed lovers? Ruined lives, bloodshed…" he said pointedly, indicating her arms, "Epic? That kind of fate?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Veronica agreed, taking a drink from his Skist.

"Glad we're on the same page then. You ready to head to the homestead?"

Nodding, Veronica twisted the cap back on the bottle. "Uh-huh. Just let me grab some DVDs."

She exited the kitchen to find her mother walking down the stairs, a suitcase by the front door, as she carried another down with her.

"Mom? What - what's going on?" Veronica asked, her voice small and quiet.

"Veronica? Oh honey, I didn't want to do this while you were here…I'm leaving. I signed the divorce papers your dad had drawn up."

"You were just going to leave without even telling me? Don't you even care about me?" Veronica asked, her voice breaking.

"It's because I love you that I'm doing this! I can't be around you!"

"What do you mean, why can't you be around me?"

"I left the pictures with your father. I don't think he's looked at them yet, but he probably will when he gets home."

Lianne moved forwards and pulled Veronica in for a hug. Veronica broke down in chest-shattering sobs. When Lianne pulled away, Veronica fell to the floor, her sobs echoing through the air.

The front door slammed hard. Her mother didn't even say goodbye.

Veronica then felt herself in warm, strong arms. Logan lifted her into his arms and carried her into the living room, sitting down and placing her on his lap. He held her as she cried a river of warm, salty tears.

For almost a whole hour, Veronica cried. She looked so broken that Logan knew he could never leave her alone. When her cries had relaxed, she slid back from his chest. His green-ish t-shirt was wet.

"Can we go to your place now? I don't wanna stay here right now."

"Of course," Logan said, as Veronica sat up. Logan joined her side and, taking her hand in his, led her from the scene of her mother's departure.

In the car, Veronica was quiet. Logan kept throwing her quick looks of care and love, who took them gratefully, but she couldn't talk. When they got to the Echolls Mansion, it was around quarter past five in the evening. Logan, wanting to keep Veronica to himself and not have her worry about others showing up, guided her to the pool house. The curtains with his parents' faces shimmered in the breeze as he slid open the glass door.

Once inside, he lowered himself to the bed. Veronica crawled on top of him and planted herself there. She just needed contact.

It was after fifteen minutes that Logan noticed something odd in the fan above. He followed the white plastic covering across the ceiling and down behind the bookshelf.

He gently shook Veronica and pointed out his findings.

"What is that, Logan?" she asked, standing up on the bed and examining it. Logan got up and moved to the faux-book case. Sliding it open, he found a TV screen and a video recorder. Switching it on, he saw Veronica on the screen. Backing away, he drew his hand to his mouth.

"Oh my God," he whispered.

He watched himself on the screen as he waved at the fake mirror and then at the fan. Veronica watched and then re-enacted his movements.

"What the hell?" Logan said quietly. He moved back towards the bookshelf and slid the drawers open. In doing so, he revealed two video tapes, one dated _10-01-03 _and the other _10-02-03._

Grabbing the second one, he pushed the tape in and pressed play.

On screen, he saw Lilly. She was grinding and groaning before being tossed onto her back. The man then faced the camera and smiled.

_Logan's dad…and Lilly? They're having an affair?_

"Lover, where are you?" the voice of one of the people on screen called out, sending shivers up Veronica's spine.

_Oh my God._


	14. Chapter 14

**Title:**Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters:**Logan/Veronica, ensemble  
**Word Count: **2,171**  
Rating:**PG-13, so far.  
**Summary:**What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff later.  
**Warnings:** Swearing.  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Author's Note: **Thanks to Nikita for the beta. Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Obviously, I've fudged up the timeline, but not by much.  
**Author's Note #2: **So, I know, I haven't updated this story in forever, and I'm sorry, but RL has really been kicking my ass these few months and I've really gotten into a ship from a soap over here in the UK. So here's chapter 14. Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter.

* * *

_Lilly Kane, heiress to the Kane family fortune, was having an affair with Aaron Echolls, star of such films as 'The Long Haul' and 'Breaking Point', father of her former boyfriend and brother's ex-best friend. _

_And, to add insult to injury, Aaron had been recording their little trysts. In this very room. In that very bed. _

_How many other girls has he brought back to his den of iniquity? _

_Ugh, I feel sick._

"Veronica!" Logan whispered, trying his best to stop the tape and place it back where he found. He slid the fake book shelf back in place and took his girlfriend's hand in his. Quickly dragging her into the bathroom of the small shack, Logan clamped his hand over her mouth to stop her from making a sound as the patio doors slid open again.

"Aaron? Where are you?" Lilly called out. She flopped onto the bed, looking at her reflection in the bed-side mirror for a few minutes before, giggling like a naughty school girl, landing on her back, arms and legs spread out wide.

Peeking out through the tiniest of gaps from the door, Veronica watched as Lilly too noticed the oddness of the fan in the ceiling.

_She must've been busy the other times to not notice._

Veronica shuddered as Lilly opened the faux-bookcase and found the tapes. Lilly played one of the tapes for a few seconds, muttering "Oh, you dirty dog," before stopping it and grabbing the two of them.

And that's when the trio in the pool house heard the deep voice sing-song "Lilly," as it exited the main house.

Acting quickly, Lilly ran from the pool house using the maid's entrance to move through the house and back to her SUV. Tossing the tapes on the dashboard, she pushed down hard on the gas and raced out of the Echolls home.

Aaron, calling out Lilly's name again, appeared through the shimmering curtains.

"Lil-ly?" He sang out. It took him a moment to realise his secret had been discovered. He raced to the video recorder and frantically searched for the tapes. Finding nothing but dust, Aaron roared to the quiet room and pulled out the video recorder and the TV, smashing them on the ground.

His face was fierce as he raged in the pool house. Eyes wide open, he had a murderous look that would scare even the toughest of law enforcers.

As he thought out his strategy, he realised his only option was to stop the girl from ruining his life, one that he'd worked tryingly to make, to make himself different from his old man, the drunken lay about.

And now it would be brought crashing down from stupid, little, high school princess? Not if there was still air in his lungs, and strength in his limbs.

He closed the sliding door so hard that the glass shattered into pieces in his wake.

Inside the small bathroom, Logan was attempting to calm one pissed off girl.

"Veronica, calm down!" Logan asked, taking her in his arms, trying to still her movements.

"That attention-seeking hussy! To call me a slut when she was having an affair with your father? A man older even than her own dad? I don't understand how she can live with herself! I don't know whether to be sick or set Back-Up after the two of them!"

"Veronica, how do you think I feel? She was my girlfriend, he IS my father! You don't understand? I'm lost! But first, I think we need to follow Lilly home… My fa- Aaron is a psycho… we need to protect her."

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but you're right… we need to help."

And so the two ran from the pool house, dodging the shatter electronics and smashed glass, towards the Le Baron.

_I couldn't deny Logan's wishes. For all his bad boy tendencies, he really cared for those he loved… even if the ones he loved were bitches from hell… present company excluded. I may be no angel, but I ain't a devil either._

_He called his dad a psycho… has the time come? Is Logan finally going to remove some of that weight from his shoulders? _

The duo jumped into their mode of transport (Logan in the driving seat) and began their journey to the Kane home.

_Is it just me or does this car ride seem like the voyage of the damned? Moving towards their doom for all of eternity, not knowing if they'll make it through to the other side, making it back home, once the battle has commenced. _

_That's how it feel's to me in this exact moment. It wasn't as if the Echoll's and the Kane's lived far apart, or that the Le Baron was breaking down again, but that time seemed to slow to a snails pace, and the harder I wished to get there, the longer it seemed for us to move an inch._

_And that was when Logan spoke._

"Aaron beats me," He whispered, his eyes unmoving from that road before him.

Veronica swallowed hard as she looked towards her boyfriend, eyes glistening with unshed tears as she reached out to touch his cheek.

"Logan, I-"

"You don't need to say anything, Ronnie. I just put out there. It's just… it's just, if he can beat his own son for accidentally spilling soda on the leather in the Rolls, what can he do to a teenaged girl with the power to destroy his career with the click of her fingers?"

Veronica pulled out her cell phone and started dialling.

"Who you gonna call?" Logan asked. Veronica threw him an incredulous look and he shook his head.

"My dad. We need to stop Aaron before he can do anything. And we need to do it now. If we don't…."

"It may be too late," Logan finished, before speeding just that little bit faster towards their destination.

------

In his office at the Balboa county Sheriffs office, Keith Mars was finishing up the paperwork on a set of burglaries that had been committed by the Fighting Fitzpatrick's. The end result was that the youngest of the brother's, one Eoin Fitzpatrick, was sent to prison for 3 years maximum. He had just finished filing away the case file when his cell phone rang. Checking the caller ID, he noticed it was his daughter calling.

"Hiya honey how was the pep rally?" He asked.

When Veronica informed him of everything that had occurred that afternoon at the Echoll's home, he was shocked to say the least. Shocked and disgusted. And as Veronica said they had just arrived at the Kane mansion, Keith started to worry.

He instructed his daughter to stay back, to not enter the house, in case Aaron was still there, he told her to wait until he and a number of his deputies arrived on site to investigate. But when he heard the scream that echoed down the phone line, he knew he wouldn't and couldn't stop his daughter from stopping her former best friend.

"Please be careful. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Father and daughter hung up simultaneously. Keith, grabbing his gun and jacket, raced out to the main office and pointed towards Sacks, Lamb and Everett.

"You three, come with me."

"Where are we going boss?" Lamb asked, grabbing the keys for his cruiser.

"The Kane's."

------

" – tapes, you stupid little bitch!" Aaron yelled, grabbing at Lilly's arm.

Veronica and Logan quietly opened the door that led out to the backyard, and the pool. Before them, was Aaron and Lilly, in the middle of billowing argument. It seemed that Lilly had hidden the tapes once she had returned home and had enough time to grab a magazine and some sun lotion before Aaron had arrived, demanding them back.

Lilly broke free and smirked at him.

"Oh, I'm the stupid one? Well, now you can just watch the tapes on 'Access Hollywood' along with the rest of America," She replied, before dismissing him and returning her attention to readying herself for sunbathing.

The look on Aaron's face is cross between terror, anguish and blinding rage. He scanned the space around him and spotted an overly large and heavy-looking ashtray on one the tables, which he gripped firmly in his hand..

Jumping at the bit, Logan ran towards the scene before him.

"Lilly, watch out!" He shouted, all be it too late, as his father swung the ashtray in his rage just as Lilly looked up at him. His aim is true and he connects with her skull.

"LILLY!" Veronica cried, running towards the limp form of her ex-best friend. Her hair was matted with blood, which was running fast down the patio.

Logan was struggling to take his father down. For years, this man… this _thing_had been beating in to Logan's head just how worthless and pathetic he was, and how he would never amount to anything.

The same man who had been involved with a seventeen year old girl, his friends' daughter, his sons girlfriend.

Once the blow and been dealt, Aaron had tossed away the ashtray into the pool, but not before wiping his handprints off. He had only just thrown the ashtray aside when Logan had collided with him, knocking the air from his lungs and sending him flailing backwards to the ground.

Veronica was holding a cushion she had retrieved from one of the lounges to the wound in Lilly's head, keeping the older girls body elevated, trying to involve her in conversation, as the fight between the Echoll's took place just feet away. She was scared of the same thing happening to Logan as what happened to Lilly, but when the warmth of Lilly's body started to ebb, and the scratchy breathing slow to nothing, her fear increased tenfold.

Logan was attempting to keep his father pinned to ground, but he was failing in every sense of the word. Every time he thought he had him in his grasp, his father nudged him or shoved him aside as if he was nothing but air.

His breathing heavy, blood pumping through his ears, he heard the song of the sirens and the screech of tires.

His limbs tired and soar, gave in, and he let Aaron loose in an attempt to escape.

Aaron, thankful that his son was weak and slow, jumped to his feet and ran for the door. But as it was pushed open, and Keith Mars exited, gun drawn, Aaron choose a different route.

But that too was blocked, by a gun totting Deputy.

So he chose the path of the idiot.

He eyed the height of the wall, and the foliage that surrounded it and figured that he could make that climb, and survive the jump to the other side without major injury.

"Aaron, stop!" The sheriff shouted, passing by his daughter and her boyfriend and the dying Kane girl. He had only one option to stop Aaron.

He aimed his weapon at an angle towards the sky and fired a warning shot. Aaron fell from his objective of scaling the wall and held his hands skyward.

"End of the line, Aaron."

Keith called over Lamb and Sacks and had Lamb hold Aaron as Sacks put the villain's hands in cuffs. Keith then told Everett to inform the medical team that they were clear to come through and assist with the victim.

"Take him to my car, Don. And keep watch of him."

Keith and Logan watched as Lamb escorted the criminal away from the scene as Veronica refused to leave Lilly's side whilst the EMT's tried to assess the situation.

"No, I won't go!" Veronica cried, pushing the man's hands away as she reached for Lilly's once again.

"Veronica, move if you want them to save her life," Her father requested.

It took a moment for her father's words to take full effect on her but once they did she got out of the way. Logan encased her in his arms as she cried her tired heart out.

Everett called Keith away to the side.

"What is it?" He asked, watching as the medic's placed Lilly's body onto a stretcher.

"It's her parents. They're out front."

"Oh Lord… I'll go speak to them. Could you please take my daughter and her boyfriend down to the station and take their statements. I want this to get sorted before the vultures swoop in."

Everetts confused look made Keith elaborate.

"The media. This case is going to be watched by the whole world."

Keith moved to the front of the house as Everett instructed the young couple to follow him to his vehicle.

"She's going to be okay," Logan said, his voice filled with unshed tears, "She's going to be fine. We got here in time, and the doctor's are going to save her, and then we'll be all alright."

Logan kissed the top of Veronica's head as they walked behind the deputy.

"All will be fine."


	15. Chapter 15

**Title:**Mutual  
**Author:** Brendan/brencon  
**Pairings/Characters:**Logan/Veronica, ensemble  
**Word Count: **1,923  
**Rating:**PG-13, so far.  
**Summary:**What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?  
**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.  
**Warnings:** Swearing.  
**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW  
**Author's Note: **Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Obviously, I've fudged up the timeline, but not by much.Thanks everyone for the TWENTY reviews for chapter 14.

* * *

Veronica was silent. She hadn't spoken a word since she gave her statement to her father's deputy, and even then she'd only given simple yes or no answers. Right now, she was sitting at the Sherriff Office's reception area, staring into space as time moved forwards… as life continued. The receptionist, Inga, had offered to make her a cup of herbal tea to calm her nerves, but Veronica gave a soft shrug as a decline.

Logan had been called in as Veronica was released and had been in there for the past hour. It was now 7:30pm… Keith had promised his daughter the moment he got any news of Lilly's condition, but her cell had remained silent.

She sighed audibly, rubbing her hands through her hair to awake herself from this daze, but a minute later and her eyes returned to that spot above the door to the interrogation room, where Logan was.

Her body ached from the sheer pain of the day – the fight with Lilly, her mother's departure, Aaron's vain and violent way of life, and now her isolation. She had insisted, once her interview was finished, that she be brought to the hospital, but her pleas landed on deaf ears as she was guided to her current location.

She sighed once more. It was such a long day but so much was still to come. She was shaken from her reverie by the slamming of a door down the corridor from where she sitting and the clip-clap of high heels on the tiled floor.

Soon enough, the designer dress-suit of Logan's mother appeared before her. Even at this disastrous moment in not only her life but her son's, Lynn Echolls was dressed in a vintage designer outfit and Dolce and Gabana sunglasses.

She removed the glasses from her face, carefully placed them in her handbag and searched the room for her son, finding his girlfriend instead.

"Veronica!" she gasped, trotting over to the younger woman. She took in the blonde's appearance and shuddered. She had known about her husband's affairs through the years, but had never thought that he'd sleep with his own son's girlfriend, let alone a minor.

To think of all the times he'd roared at her for creating far too much negative attention to the family, to _him_, and he was sleeping with girls younger than his own daughter – the hypocritical bastard. And now, she feared that maybe he'd already moved onto his next conquest – the Sheriff's daughter! She only knew fragments of the events of the day, but what she did know rotted her stomach.

Lynn's rage and nausea were pushed back to the pit of her stomach as she took the Mars girl in her arms.

"Veronica, honey? Where's Logan?" She gently asked, feeling the girl soften in her posture.

Veronica quietly said the interrogation room, before clearing her throat to speak once more.

"He's giving his statement of what happened with… what happened this afternoon, he should be finished soon."

"How are you doing, sweetie?"

"I just keep waiting for my phone to ring, so I can know what's happening with Lilly, but so far nothing. What if…," She started, before her voice started breaking, "what if she doesn't get any better? What if she dies, and I never get the chance to apologise? What if Lilly dies, and the last things we said to each other were petty and stupid things? What do I do if…."

Veronica, for the first time since Lilly was carted away on a stretcher, broke down. Her tears ran like a river down her face, wetting Lynn's shoulder. She sniffled, sobbed, and let loose all her fears in that moment, knowing that she would need to be strong when, and she emphasised in her head, _when _Lilly was on the road to recovery.

As if she could read minds, Lynn came out with the comment that "No news is good news and that you have to hope for the best, because that's all you can do at this very moment – hope."

The two hugged for a moment longer before separating. Lynn retrieved a packet of tissues from her bag and held it out to Veronica, who gladly accepted it.

"Thanks," Veronica said politely, feeling embarrassment for her slight break down in the sheriff's office.

Lynn, eyes twinkling that she helped out, took Veronica's free hand in her own and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Don't mention it."

------

Lilly Kane was currently in intensive care. Her brother sat at her bedside, her hand firmly in his. The only sounds that could be heard within the room where Lilly's breathing, aided by an apparatus, and Duncan's soft sobs of anguish. Outside, a barrage of police officers and Kane Family security, namely Clarence Wiedman, were stopping the paparazzi from gaining any vantage point of the Kane heiress in her hour of need.

In a room down the corridor, Sheriff Mars and the victims parents, Celeste and Jake Kane, were standing with Doctor Craig Dean, head of neurosurgery. All four were currently looking at Lilly's head scans, and it was obvious to anyone without medical training, that the damage caused by the ashtray was severe and would take many surgeries and many months to recover.

"Currently, Lilly is unconscious and is bleeding into her brain cavity. We need to get her into surgery within the next few minutes otherwise she will be severely in capacitated for the rest of her life."

"What can we do?" Lilly's father asked.

"Sign this permission form and we can begin right away."

Dr. Dean held out the form and a pen, both of which Mr. Kane quickly grabbed, He filled out the form and thrust it back into the man's hands.

"Please, save my daughter."

The doctor immediately sprang into action, racing from his office and grabbing nurses and orderly, ordered them to lead Ms. Kane to the OR1. Wiedman along with the officers forced the photographers further back as Lilly was escorted out of her room and down the corridor.

Duncan wobbled as he left his sister's suite, eyes red and puffy. His parents before him walked towards him. His father took into a warm hug while telling him where his sister was going.

Whilst father and son bonded, Celeste Kane led Keith into the now empty private suite. Its grand space was covered in darkness, only a dimmed lamp lighting the room in an eerie orange glow.

Leaning against the closed door, Celeste took in the sight of the monitor that had just been keeping track of her only daughter's blood pressure and heartbeat. She blinked numerous times before looking at the man responsible for catching the culprit. She took a step forward before speaking.

Celeste Kane had other matters to cover before thanking the sheriff for his courageous actions.

"I hear your wife left you this afternoon."

Keith stopped pacing for moment, crossing his arms. He faced the wife of his rival and eyed her appearance. Hair wild and unruly, make up slight ran, clothes mussed. It was not the question he'd expected to be asked, but he answered anyway.

"How did you…. Oh. It was you? Taking the pictures? Scaring Lianne? Why?"

"Oh Keith, don't play the moron with me. We both know what our partners have been doing. We both know their 'love affair' has never stopped. So, I have a request. One small, simple request."

"Which is?"

"You keep Veronica from asking my husband for any monetary assistance in the near future. You keep pretending she's your daughter and we'll all live happily ever after."

Keith was silent for what seemed an age. He crossed many bridges in his head with her question but only one question kept springing to mind.

"Why now? Jake has had sixteen years. Why do you think he'd question paternity now?"

Again, Mrs. Kane's eyes landed on her daughter's monitor.

"If Lilly doesn't survive, he may be powered by guilt and mourning to raise Veronica's awareness to her true parentage."

Keith strode past Celeste and grasped the door handle.

"I'm afraid your fears are not qualified." He used his free hand to grab an envelope from his jacket pocket and held it out for her to take. Her nimble fingers snatched it from his and she moved to the bright light to read what was written.

"What is this?"

"A DNA test. You see, you're little game of leaving messages on Veronica's answering machine didn't just come to my wife's attention. They came to mine. So, a few weeks ago, I took some of Veronica's hair and some of my own and sent them to be tested. These results came this morning, but I only got a chance to look at them this afternoon. She's mine, Celeste. So you can start breathing again. Your money is safe."

Keith opened the door and slammed it shut after him.

Covered in darkness, Celeste scrunched the results firmly in her hand and for the first time since she learned the news of her daughters attack, she cried and sobbed.

------

Another fifteen minutes passed when finally the door both women were watching intensely opened and Logan stepped out, seemingly exhausted. He had the look of someone who had cried, shouted, whispered and wept for almost an hour and a half after being in a gruesome fight.

The deputy offered to get Logan an ice pack from the first aid kit, which he greatly accepted. Logan limped towards his mother and girlfriend, his left shoulder aching and at least two ribs bruised.

His mother was first to hug him, he winced but said nothing, just glad to see her here, with him, instead of his father. She gently kissed his cheek, grateful that he was not injured any more than he was.

Lynn stepped back and her place was quickly replaced by Veronica. Veronica's eyes sparked with love at the sight of her protector. She chastely kissed his lips, not caring that his mother was behind her, and pulled his hand to her mouth and kissed his palm too.

"Any news?" Logan asked. The shaking head of his girlfriend and the quiet "No" from his mother did not bode well in his mind.

"How are you doing?" Lynn asked, taking her jacket it and holding it out so Logan could sit on the chair and gently rest his shoulder against the chair.

"A few cuts and bruises, but I'm otherwise okay." Logan took a breath and winced in pain, but didn't let it stop him.

"How long was I in there?"

Veronica checked her phone and saw that it was now almost 8pm.

"Almost an hour and a half."

"It fells like ten times longer. He asked me so many questions that I think he fried my brain," Logan joked, before coughing. He covered his mouth with his hand and whimpered in pain.

"What did he ask you?" Veronica asked, stroking his face softly.

"Everything. How we knew where Aaron was going, why we thought he might try something illegal… I told him about all my little 'accidents'," Logan said, looking to his mother before coughing once more.

Veronica was about to rub his back for him when her cell phone began to vibrate in her hand. The incoming call told her it was her father.

She was on the verge of answering when Logan suddenly collapsed to the floor and began to spasm and shake uncontrollably, drooling saliva and blood all over the tiled floor of the reception area.


	16. Chapter 16

**Word Count: **1,468

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Author's Note: **Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Obviously, I've fudged up the timeline, but not by much.

**Author's Note #2: **I know, I suck at updating. With summer now here, hopefully I can finally get going with this story again. Enjoy chapter 16.

* * *

Her face held a blank stare as she squeezed the masculine hand in her own. She squeezed it as if she was trying to pass some of her strength to Logan; as if she could pass life force through a simple squeeze of a hand.

Her eyes were empty of emotion, a constant reminder to those who saw her of the trauma she had and was continuing to go through.

She kissed his forehead before placing his hand gently back on the covers as she rose to her feet. She smiled sadly as she passed his mother, whose mascara stained face held a look of bravery behind a cloud of fear.

She moved down the ward towards another well-guarded room. Clarence Wiedman stepped aside, granting her access to her best friend's room.

Duncan, a constant feature at his sister's side, had fallen asleep, Lilly's hand tightly held in his hand as he rested against the hard mattress of the hospital.

Three weeks had already passed since the events at the Kane mansion and neither of the victims of Aaron's Echolls attack had awoken from their slumber.

Following his collapse at the Balboa county sheriff's office, Logan had been rushed to hospital, where it was discovered a broken rib had punctured his left lung. He was immediately sent to the theatre, where a surgeon quickly reset the broken rib and re-inflated the lung and stitched up the small tear in the flesh.

The doctors keep repeating the same phrase 'Once their system has recovered, they'll wake up. We've done all we can.'

Veronica snorted.

_If I got a dollar every time I heard that phrase, I'd have enough to study at the college of my choice for 20 consecutive years! _

She sat on the stool on the opposite side of Lilly's hand and held her right hand gently, rubbing the knuckles with her thumb.

She yawned loudly, glancing at the clock on the wall. 3:07 am it read. Her dad had warned her not to stay past three; that she needed to rest; needed to continue going school; needed to live her life.

The Homecoming Dance had been cancelled until further notice after the world found out about the events on the sunny October afternoon.

Leaning forwards, Veronica kissed Lilly's forehead before placing Lilly's hand back on her bed. Yawning again, Veronica left Lilly's room. Passing the security once more, Veronica tried to ignore the smirk that covered Wiedman's face. Glaring back, she passed through a waiting room/vending machine area and almost bumped into Logan's mother, who had just exited the ladies room, washing her face of the black trails and reapplying her makeup.

"Oh! Mrs. Echolls I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," Veronica babbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Are you alright, Veronica? You look like you haven't slept in days."

"You're one to talk," Veronica snapped. Yawning again, Veronica flushed as realisation awakened in her sleep-deprived.

"I'm so sorry Mrs. Echolls I snapped, all worry and no sleep makes Veronica a cranky girl."

Concerned, Lynn smiled gently at Veronica. "Nightmares?" She asked.

Nodding, Veronica yawned once more.

"I don't think you should be driving, you are too exhausted. I'm going to call my driver and have him bring you home."

Ignoring Veronica's protests, Lynn retrieved her cell phone from the bottom of her purse and dialled her driver's number.

Once finished asking Steve to collect Veronica, Lynn led the teen to an uncomfortable plastic seat where a silence so thick consumed the room. Veronica was fighting exhaustion as Lynn checked out the bags under her eyes and applied another layer of concealer to hide the lack of sleep.

"How's Keith?" Lynn finally asked, once the unending silence had become unbearable.

"He's good – busy, but that's only natural… given the… circumstances." Veronica meekly replied, suddenly very interested with her cuticles.

Sighing sadly, Lynn took Veronica's hands in her own and tried to calm her son's girlfriend.

"It's okay Veronica, he'll get through this… they both will."

"I keep telling myself that, but with each day, I can tell the doctor's are worried – for both of them. And then I start to day dream about horrible things and I just can't concentrate on anything."

_Especially with the constant image of your husband panting and grinding above my best friend, former._

--

Keith Mars was anxious. His interrogation of Aaron Echolls had lasted twelve hours in total, over the past 3 weeks, due to Aaron's status and his extremely expensive lawyer.

He had just paused the current interview after only one hour – Aaron was pleading the fifth at every turn and continuing the interrogation any longer would only aid in angering Keith to his own breaking point.

Ordering Lamb to return the criminal to his cell, Keith returned to his office. Rubbing his tired eyes, he glanced at the clock and sighed – 03:52 a.m. His daughter was to be at home at 3am, but knowing Veronica she would still be at the hospital, grasping her boyfriend's hand.

His thoughts fell back to the events 3 weeks ago where all the current events came to a head. The panicked phone call from Veronica threw him in a spin, he'd never heard Veronica so scared and small; all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms.

He was in the emergency room to meet the ambulance carrying Veronica, Logan and Logan's mother, the two women speaking over each other. Keith aided the doctor's in separating the women from the unconscious teen.

Twenty-one days later, Keith had accepted Logan and Lynn to his extended family. He felt for Lynn, and worried for his daughters own health. Deciding to check in with his witty child, Keith dialled up her number.

--

Her cell rang out twice, a loud obnoxious song that could have woken the deepest of sleepers…. But not the two who's bedside's she had been at constant figure at.

Answering quickly, she heaved a sigh of relief at hearing her father's voice.

"Who's your daddy?" He said, laughing once his question was asked.

"I hate it when you say that." Veronica replied, her eyes glowing with a smile.

"You on your way home yet?"

"Mrs. Echolls has called her driver in to bring me home. I'll be home before 4… hopefully."

"Okay, good honey. Try to sleep. I'll be home before you wake up. I love you."

"Love you too." Veronica whispered, her voice heavy with sleep. Hanging up, Veronica smiled at Lynn as she watched the clock tick by ever so slowly.

"I've always feared that Logan would face the end of his life at Aaron's hands. I'd always feared it and prayed that it would never come. And yet here we sit; Lilly Kane down the corridor, along with Logan; both in comas that Aaron caused. I feared what would happen if I stayed, but feared what would happen if I left… just vanished from this life and his from the paparazzi and the prying eyes of my husband. But, if this is what happens when I remain, it makes me wonder… it makes me wonder what would have happened if I had left Aaron; left him to his own devices." Lynn paused, rubbing tears that were beginning to fall from the corners of her eyes.

"And then it hits me. He would have had free reign… and Logan and that poor girl may not be with us anymore. And that terrifies me."

The ring of the elevator door shook the two women from their reverie as a man in a tux exited the sliding doors.

"Ah Steve, thanks for coming by so quickly – and so late!" Mrs. Echolls praised, elegantly rising to her feet, clutching her purse in her hands.

"It was no problem Mrs. E. It's my job!"

"Like I said on the phone, I need you to take Veronica here home… she's too exhausted to drive on her own."

"That I can do, Mrs. Echolls."

Veronica smiled at Steve as he returned to the elevator. Facing Logan's mom, Veronica hugged her tight and thanked her for the driver.

"It's my pleasure. I don't think Logan would want you to not be here when he wakes up."

Smiling again, Veronica waved goodbye to Lynn and followed Steve into the lift. The ride down was quiet, and as they passed reception, Veronica didn't notice the flashing blue lights nor the motion of the busy nurses and doctors as they rushed to all fit into the one elevator.

The two entered the parking lot, Veronica refusing to sit in the back of the limo, and left the hospital.

Upstairs however, one of the many coma patients had just opened their eyes for the first time in almost 22 days, whilst another had entered a critical condition.


	17. Chapter 17

**Title: **Mutual

**Author:** Brendan/brencon

**Pairings/Characters: **Logan/Veronica, ensemble

**Word Count: **1,554

**Rating: **PG-13, so far.

**Summary: **What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Author's Note: **Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

* * *

Veronica Mars had thanked Steve, climbed out of the limo and unlocked the front door, watching as it slammed against the wall behind it, shaking the painting on its hanger. She sighed, entered her home and closed and locked the door behind her. She'd become a lot more conscious about self protection, even asking Keith to buy her a stun gun.

She went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before making her way upstairs, going through the motions before making her way to bed.

Her head hit the pillow and she was out like a light. Her dreams were filled with blood shed and coma's and gun shots. She tossed and turned all night, waking up nearly every hour.

--

Keith Mars had only just left the office and was nearing home when his cell rang. It was Lamb informing him that both victims of Aaron Echolls were awakening, but that their conditions were vastly different.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes once more this morning, Keith checked the time and decided against calling his daughter. She needed at least a few hours of sleep.

He thanked Lamb for informing him and hung up, before turning his SUV around and directing his truck to the hospital.

--

Lynn Echolls had entered her son's hospital room just five minutes ago and figured that the twitch of his hand or the flutter of his eye lids was just her imagination playing tricks on her when the silent body on the bed before her sat up and started to choke and splutter on the tube down his throat.

He tried to remove the tube before Lynn finally calmed him and called out for a doctor. The corridors, however, were empty, with even the security team of Kane family having vanished from their stations.

Striding down the hallway, Lynn looked in the Kane room and found the majority of the medical team situated in the room. Standing in the door way, she grabbed a nurse that was about to enter the room and informed him of her own son's waking up.

She followed the nurse as he quickly set about work on her son, glancing back at the busy team working on the heiress.

--

Duncan Kane awoke with a start from the ringing of the machines and the whirring and buzzing caused by all the wires connected to his elder sister. He jumped to his feet and froze, unsure what to do at first, when suddenly the door swung open and the room was filled suddenly with doctors and nurses as Clarence Wiedman dragged him out of the way, down towards the waiting room.

Passing his former best friends room, Duncan found the younger teens' mother sitting beside him, her eyes lost in a daze of worry.

--

Logan Echolls', blurred eyes and aching stomach, first sight upon opening his eyes was a man, who was checking his stats and breathing and conversing with someone to his left. Craning his neck, he found his mother hovering at his bedside.

Noticing her son's eyes on her, Lynn smiled brightly and leaned over him, kissing his cheeks and forehead before taking his hand in her own tightly.

"How you doing, son?" she asked, her smile evident in her voice.

"Better without that thing in my throat," he joked, coughing from his laughing, "What time is it?"

Checking her watch, Lynn returned to Logan's eyesight, "Almost half three in the morning." Lynn poured her son a glass of water and, adding a straw, helped Logan to drink some to aid his raw throat.

"Where's Veronica?" he finally asked, taking steady breaths.

"I sent her home, she has held a constant vigil of your bedside since you passed out in the sheriff's office; she was exhausted, so I sent her home with Steve. I can call her, if you'd like?"

"No, let her sleep."

Taking another drink of water, Logan got comfortable in his bed before facing his mother once more, another question forming on his tongue.

"How's Lilly?"

Pausing for a number of moments, Lynn looked towards her son with sorrow, "I think she's gotten worse. When you were waking up, she was having some sort of attack. Her room was swamped with doctors."

"Could you please check in on her?" Logan asked the nurse, who was still examining the read-outs from the machines Logan was connected to.

The nurse was about to speak, when Logan's mother interrupted him.

"I can check, it's just down the hall," she said, making a start to move when the grip from Logans hand increased.

"I need you to stay with me for a while… please?" Logan asked in a quiet voice, his heart beating hard in his chest.

"Of course honey… I'll stay right here."

The nurse, who was now finished with his work, left to check on the Kane girl. Mother and son shared a small smile before Logan started to quietly cry against his mother's chest.

--

Lilly Kane was floating on a blow-up bed in the pool in her back garden, Spice Girls playing on her CD player as Veronica and Logan sat beside the pool, playing poker. Duncan was constantly kicking his soccer ball against the wall on the east side of the garden.

Her blood red lipstick matched her bathing outfit perfectly as she lazed in the warm suns rays. Her blonde hair bounced down her back as she laughed when Logan threw the deck of cards into the pool, followed by Veronica.

The ripples were nothing to worry about when Veronica entered the still water, but when Logan bombed in, the waves were large and rocked her off her pedestal into the water.

"Logan! I was trying to get an even tan!"

"Sorry Lil, but Vee here was kicking my ass at poker and I had to do something."

"She _always _beats you in poker – why throw her in today?"

"Cause she said she wouldn't let me kiss her anymore if I didn't win that round – for a week!"

Laughing loudly, Lilly swam to the edge of the pool and pulled herself up onto the edge. Pulling herself to her feet, Lilly grabbed a towel and started to dry off.

"Finally using those womanly wiles to your advantage, Veronica? It's about damn time!"

Suddenly, a loud crying fractured the air and Lilly hurried in her drying. Duncan arrived at her side, a baby monitor in hand as he passed by Veronica. Holding it out to Lilly, when she finally took it, Duncan kicked the soccer ball hard, sending it through the air and smacking hard against Logan's head, knocking him beneath the water once more.

Veronica, now sitting on the edge of a deck chair, threw her head back and laughed hard, almost on the verge of tears.

"Great shot donut!" Lilly laughed, "But I gotta run – duty calls!"

She climbed the stairs two at a time, arriving at the baby's room. The kid was on it's side in the crib, screaming his little lung's out.

She picked the boy up and started to rub his back soothingly, when his cries started to quieten. In the silence of the room, an echo of screeching and beeping sang in the room and Lilly was suddenly on her back, men in green masks surrounding her and crowding her, a cool gel being applied to her bare stomach.

The boy in her arms suddenly started to cry once more and Lilly kissed his head in an attempt to calm him.

"Shush, David," she said, bobbing him in her arms, "shush baby."

--

Jake Kane hadn't slept in days, his daughters test results having him terrified out of his wits. He was busy signing off on new proposals and development projects for the firm when the call came.

His heart rate rose as it pounded against his rib cage. His baby was waking up. And she was in trouble. Jake was unsure about the fatherhood of Veronica Mars, but the daughter he was sure of, his Lilly, was in trouble and needed her daddy.

He called Clarence to let him know he was coming. And then he was going to pay a visit to an old friend.

--

Aaron Echolls was bored. The Balboa County Sheriff office was not the hive of activity as some of the police stations he has stared in for his films. He knew that once the charges were dropped, his life would be made into a biopic that would be award winning and a must see upon release.

His mind was still stuck on the thoughts of what brought him here. That Kane bitch was trying to sell him down a river. Her blackmail had threw him over the pressure point and all he saw was red until the haze lifted and it was his own son he was beating up.

For all his anger trips, Aaron never intended to beat up a girl… not after the way his own father treated his precious mother. Logan's own attempts to anger him were usually unintended incidents.

And now, here he rotted. Behind some small town, back water bars awaiting proper charges to be placed against him.

His abusive ways had finally come to an end. Just not the one he expected.


	18. Chapter 18

**Title:** Mutual

**Author:** brencon

**Pairings/Characters:** Logan/Veronica, ensemble

**Word Count: **1,785

**Rating:** PG-13, so far.

**Summary:** What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Author's Note:** Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

* * *

Veronica awoke with a start, her cell phone vibrating on her bedside table. She groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat up. She glanced at the clock to find it 11:30 in the morning. She sighed, grabbing her phone. She saw that she had 9 missed calls.

Wondering what drama had occurred when she was sleeping, Veronica dialled up her answering machine and entered her code when prompted.

Hearing her father's voice across the line and the message he was parting shook her quickly from her post-sleep state and she was a bundle of energy. Hanging up her phone, she tossed it on the bed and rushed to her bathroom, giving her face a quick wash and brushing her teeth.

She dressed in jeans and a pink t-shirt, forgoing breakfast, and, grabbing her keys, rushed to door and made her way to the hospital.

The time was 11:42 in the morning.

--

Arriving at the hospital, Veronica locked the LeBaron and rushed inside. Poking the button that called to the elevator repeatedly, Veronica became frustrated and headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Reaching Logan's floor, a panting Veronica continued running for his room, waiting to see him smiling and laughing and talking to her.

She was so focused that she didn't see Duncan standing in front of her and ran into him, knocking him to the floor as she fell on top of him.

"Oh God, Duncan! I'm so sorry! I totally didn't see you," Veronica apologised, pulling herself back up to her feet. She offered her hand to Duncan to aid him up, but he ignored it and, placing his hands on the feet, pushed himself back to his feet.

"So, you heard, huh?" Duncan asked, staring out the window at the sun drenched world outside. He'd been inside the hospital so often the last three weeks that his eyes hurt from the sun's rays. He rubbed his eyes, trying to rub away the pain, before locking eyes with his ex-girlfriend.

"Yeah, dad left a message on my phone early this morning, but I didn't get it 'til twenty minutes ago. How is he?" She asked, looking around the Kane boy, trying to look into Logan's room.

Laughing bitterly, Duncan scratched at his upper arm, "I wasn't talking about Logan. Lilly's had some difficulties."

"Oh," came Veronica's reply, her mind quickly remembering to kick herself later for not thinking of her former best friend first. "Did the doctor's say what happened?"

"They told my parents… no ones told me anything. Always have to protect the golden son," Duncan commented snidely, crossing his arms defensively.

"Oh," she said again. She tapped her tongue against her teeth, wanting to get past and see her boyfriend but not knowing how to get free. She took the initiative and made to step around him.

"Wanna see lover boy? Go a head. Go a head and forget about my sister, you're best friend!" He shouted, his eyes closing to slits as he clenched his fists. He took a strong step forward, crowding her space.

"Duncan!" shouted the voice Celeste Kane. Her manicured hands clutched her hand bag as she stood in the door way, her salon styled hair in a perfect position to give the air of grief stricken mother to the public. "Duncan, come sit with your sister," she ordered, reaching into her purse and withdrawing his tablet container.

Duncan, appearing to have calmed some, with his head bowed, walked slowly to his sister's room, accepting the container and promising to take them right away.

Closing the door behind him, Celeste moved towards Veronica, her high heels echoing of the tiled floor. She stopped just before Veronica, eyeing her up with a hint of revulsion shining from eyes, hidden away behind all that sickening pride she always held.

"Veronica Mars, are you here to see my daughter?" Celeste asked, a false smile crossing her face.

"No, not today. I'm here to see Logan; he woke up during the night."

Blinking fast, Celeste glanced at the Echolls room, gulping, before returning to Veronica. "Well, I won't keep you," she said, smiling, before following her son into her daughter's room.

Shaking her head to rid herself of that odd meeting, Veronica stormed to Logan's room.

The time was 12: 09 in the afternoon.

--

"So, just a couple more days until you get out of here," Lynn said, returning his glass to the tray that was on across his lap. She drew his lunch tray closer to him and handed him his knife and fork.

Taking the utensils, Logan started cutting into his chicken… or was it beef? "I can't wait to have normal food, not this rubbery… thing."

Laughing, his mother sat back in her uncomfortable plastic chair and started reading her magazine once more.

Logan finished his meal and sought his plastic cup, the tips of his fingers brushing against it, rocking it. He gasped as the cold liquid fell spilled onto him.

Laughing at his actions, Lynn tossed her magazine on the end of the bed before standing up. She moved into the bathroom and grabbed a few paper towels before returning to his side.

She was busy helping her son dry up his spillage, when the door to his room opened and the petit blond girl stormed in.

"Logan," she cried; her voice barely above a whisper. She began playing with her cuticles as she watched him and his mother.

"Ronnie," he replied, smiling as she slowly walked to his bedside.

Watching the couple, Lynn decided to give them a moment alone. She passed the unused towels to Veronica and threw the sopping wet ones into the trash before making a speedy exit, smiling at her son as his eyes danced with love for Veronica.

The time was 12:16 in the afternoon.

--

Veronica and Logan just stared at each other for the longest time, taking in the sight of each other. It was ten minutes later when Veronica sat with Logan, taking his hand in hers, she continued Lynn's task of drying up his mess.

"What would you do if I wasn't here?" Veronica joked, dabbing at his wet bed clothes. When he grabbed her busy hand, he crashed his mouth to hers and kissed her with all the love, with all the passion he felt for her.

It was merely minutes later when he moved away from her, smiling up at her when she licked her lips in appreciation of the kiss.

Veronica kissed him chastely before getting off the edge of the bed and tossed the wet paper into the bin. She returned to his side and just stared at him, taking in his beauty.

"I've missed you," she breathed, kissing his cheek.

"All I've dreamt of is you," he promised, losing himself in her eyes; in her touch. He fought to control the tears that seemed to be on tap for the past few hours.

"I heard that you've been a constant fixture at my bed of late," he said, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

"I didn't want you to be alone," she said, smiling at his touch. She swallowed as she tried to fight tears, "I thought you'd never wake up," she whispered, turning away as she began to cry.

"Hey, Veronica, don't cry. I'm fine, hey," Logan said, taking hold of her shoulder and swirling her to face him again.

"Logan, you almost died!"

"But I didn't, and I'm going home in a couple of days, and everything will be fine."

"How can it be fine though… Logan, you're dad nearly killed Lilly and you and she's having complications," Veronica explained, looking at him with deep sorrow.

"Have you heard what kind of complications though? A nurse went to check it out for me and all they said was that she was going to have immediate surgery and couldn't tell us anymore."

Logan was about to continue when the door opened once more. His mother returned and she was carrying fresh scrubs, as a nurse behind her carried fresh sheets. Veronica climbed off the bed.

"I thought you might like to have dry clothes," she said, pulling back his sheets and helping him out of his bed.

The time was 12: 37 in the afternoon.

--

Duncan was sitting in his sister's room, waiting to hear from the doctors the result from the surgery. She had been undergoing this operation for the past 9 hours, having been carted off in the minutes before 4am, having been unconscious and unwoken for three weeks.

His mother had left him in the room, claiming a meeting with the sheriff over the charges to be placed against Aaron Echolls. He'd been playing with a thread in his t-shirt for the past five minutes, trying to rid himself of his boredom.

He ignored the knocking of the door. When it squeaked and creaked open, he didn't look up.

"What?" he asked his visitor, ripping the loose thread from his shirt.

"I just wanted to check in on you, see if you were okay… where'd your mom go?" Veronica asked, leaning against the door.

"She's gone to see your dad, she's asking about the charges against Logan's dad."

"And… and how's Lilly?"

"I have no idea… still. Mom just said to wait here for when the doctors come back," Duncan said, standing and moving to the window.

"How are you doing?"

"What do you think?"

Looking to her feet, Veronica sighed, turning to leave the room. As she reached for the door knob, she was slammed against the door and Duncan's hands were tangled in her hair as he forced his lips on hers, his tongue opening her lips.

"Duncan, mph, no, Duncan!" she groaned, trying and failing to push him away, losing ground as his lips moved to her neck, kissing her pulse point.

"NO!" she cried, successfully pushing him away. She panted in anger as he blinked away his confusion.

"I'm with Logan, Duncan, we're together. What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I don't know, Veronica! I just don't know! I've loved you since I've known you and I don't wanna lose you! When you came here, I thought it was 'cause you had broken up with Logan, that you'd chosen me!"

Aghast, Veronica swung open the door before facing against him once more.

"I can't believe that Duncan, I can't believe you thought I could just suddenly switch back to loving you! I'm with Logan, and that's the end of it!"

She slammed the door shut behind her, the glass pane shaking in its slot.

The time was 12:58 in the afternoon.


	19. Chapter 19

**Title:** Mutual

**Author:** brencon

**Pairings/Characters:** Logan/Veronica, ensemble

**Word Count: **2,067

**Rating:** PG-13, so far.

**Summary:** What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Author's Note:** Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

* * *

Doctor Craig Dean snapped his gloves off and tossed them into the medical waste bin and followed them with his scrubs. He headed to wash up before moving to his patient's room, to converse with her parents. Once surgery had been finished, she had been transported to post-op to rest up before returning to her private room.

He passed by a blonde girl, her face red, eyes like slits as she passed by him as if the whole building was on fire and she was the only one to have a fire extinguisher. He knocked twice on his patients privately paid room, nodding to her security crew as he entered the room.

"Mrs. Kane…," he started, only to find himself in the room with the patient's brother, not her mother or father. He took a moment, smiling at the kid before switching the light on, wondering why the boy was hiding in the dark.

Bathing the son in fluorescent lighting, he found the boy red with embarrassment or anger, Dr. Dean wasn't sure. He interlocked his hands and smiled at the boy.

"Hello, Mr. Kane. I was wondering where your mother is?"

"Why?" Duncan asked, looking the doctor straight in the eye, "Has something happened to Lilly?" Worried, Duncan jumped to his feet, his hands clenched; his finger nails dug into his palms, creating half moons.

"I have pressing matters to speak with your parents, about your sister's condition. Do you know when they will be coming back in?"

"Mom said she'd be back before three. Can't you just tell me, though? She's my sister!"

"I'm sorry son, but I'm not at liberty to say anything before I speak to your parents. All that I can say is that you're sister's surgery went well, and that she's in post-op at the moment. I'll come back at three."

"Can I see her?" Duncan begged, his voice small.

"I'm sorry, but she's connected to too many machines right now for any one to go near her," the doctor explained, smiling sympathetically at the boy. He gave his goodbyes and left the kid to his own devices, turning the light off as he left the room.

The time was 13:13 in the afternoon.

--

Furious, Veronica opened the door to Logan's room and sighed angrily as she closed it behind her. She groaned in frustration and kicked the wall, wincing at the pain that shot through her foot.

"I can't believe him!" She shouted, throwing her arms into the air in anguish. She dropped herself in the chair by his bed. She grasped her head in her hands, pulling at her hair in anger.

"Everything okay over there Ronnie?" Logan asked, nervously smiling at her, glancing at his mother to see if she knew what the problem was.

"Oh, everything's great! Fan-fricking-tastic!" She mocked, laughing bitterly as she lifted her head up.

"Okay, we get it – you can snark with the best of us, but what's got you in this twist?" Logan asked, sitting up in his bed, the fresh sheets pooling around his waist.

"Duncan!" She roared, forcing herself to sit up straight in her seat. She took a deep breath, feeling her heart rate slow.

"What did he do now?" Lynn asked, sharing a look with Logan before returning her eyes to Veronica.

"He kissed me! He thought that I wanted to get back with him just because I went to check up on Lilly."

"Why would he do that?" Logan asked through clenched teeth.

"Because… because his mother told him we're not related, because he thought you had gotten worse… because… Oh I don't know!" she said, getting to her feet and beginning to pace.

Aghast, Lynn looked to her son for answers, only to find his face covered in shock too. She shook her head, trying to comprehend what she just said.

"Veronica, do you mind if I ask you something?" Lynn questioned, sitting on the edge of Logan's bed.

"I think you just did," Veronica joked, realising that in the moment they were in that her reply was least in appropriate, Veronica took a serious stare and smiled at her, "Go ahead, Mrs. Echolls."

The time was 13:28 in the afternoon.

--

Yolanda was lounging on her bed, her trig book propped on her pillow as the television in front of her reported news of an apparent spate of burglaries of homes in the prestigious 90909 area. The prime suspects were a biker gang that had tarnished the face of Neptune.

What Yolanda couldn't figure out was why the news stations had quickly left all reports regarding the attempted murder of Lilly Kane at the hand of Aaron Echolls. His face had been on every channel for two weeks following his arrest and then nothing. The messages and phone calls that she had shared with Veronica had kept her abreast with the current situation with both Logan and Lilly.

Their last conversation, held last night before she returned to his bedside, she'd listened as Veronica had cried out her worries, gave advice when asked taxing questions and tried to give her a ray of hope in the darkened skies.

"…his lawyer said, forcing his way through our reporters. Once more, let me just explain – Aaron Echolls has been given bail by high powered judge after almost a full month of seclusion in the Balboa County Sheriffs office. More details when we get them. In local news, another body was found in…," Yolanda frowned, flipping the channel in search of another news report, needing to check the facts before she called Veronica to break the news.

The time was 13:42 in the afternoon.

--

Sheriff Mars was feeling an anger, one that he hadn't felt since realising that his wife had been having an affair with her former lover. Knowing that his work, his reason for being, had failed to keep a criminal like Aaron Echolls of the streets was causing him a great deal of strength. He'd ordered Deputy Lamb to keep watch of their suspect.

Sitting in his office, reading over the reports he'd filled since Echolls' arrest 26 days ago, he realised that the interrogations that had been held and yielded little information. Anything regarding Lilly Kane, or his own son had caused Aaron to clam up. He'd not spoken a single word that went against what they knew, and without any corroborating evidence they had found and lack of evidence from Lilly Kane, the judge had seen fit to let bail be granted, allowing Echolls to return home under house arrest.

Even with the videos that Logan and Veronica had found, their statements, he had only gotten one side. With Lilly's report, he would finally be able to file a warrant for arrest against Aaron, but for that to happen, he needed Lilly alive and well.

After the release of Echolls', Celeste Kane had come marching in and slapped Keith. She'd raised her hand to slap him once more only for her to be stopped by her husband. Keith explained his situation and asked for an update on their daughters condition.

They'd gone, at least accepting the fact that any evidence Lilly could give would be needed before charges could be filed.

So Keith sat back, reaching for cell phone as he drank his coffee. He toyed with his phone, contemplating wether he should tell his daughter of the situation now or allow her to relieve some her pain in the arms of her very much alive boyfriend.

Taking the option of peace, even if it only lasted for the briefest of moments, Keith returned his cell phone to his breast pocket.

The time was 13:53 in the afternoon.

--

Having explained everything that happened before that bright October day, Veronica sat back, grasping the Styrofoam cup in her hands, warming her fingers as if she had dunked them ice cold water. She watched the heat rise from it, watering her eyes. She blinked, blew on the liquid to cool it and took a sip, shifting at the pain.

"So… you're mom had an affair with Jake Kane? And there was a worry about who the father was? And that's Duncan was so weird before you two broke up, because Celeste told him the two of you were brother and sister?" Logan asked, wanting to confirm the facts to see he had gotten everything sorted in his mind.

"Yep," Veronica started, taking another drink, "it's also the reason why my mom left and why Celeste Kane has always hated me, even before I was dating her son."

"So, even with that whole paternity issue, your mom and Jake still let you two date?" Logan asked, shaking his head in disbelief at the situation he found himself in.

"In a nutshell. It was only a couple of weeks ago that we found out the truth, I'm a Mars, through and through. And I'm guessing that Celeste told Duncan today, hence the kissage."

"I never liked that woman," Lynn interjects, placing her cup on the bedside table, "She was always snobbish, even when she was around people richer than her," Lynn said, pouring Logan a fresh glass of water. "Whenever someone was saying what their latest project was, or what they'd recently completed, Celeste would have to interrupt and mention what project Jake was currently working on, or how well Duncan was doing in school and what she had planned for his future."

Laughing at his mothers comments, Logan gladly accepted the glass she was offering.

"I really like this new you, Mom," he said, smiling at her. He squeezed Veronica's hand, feeling her squeeze back in appreciation.

"So, how's school been?" Logan finally asked, having avoided the topic with her since he finally woke up.

"Like a mad house," Veronica sighed, smiling at his glowing face. "Reporters everywhere. Van has gotten a court order to keep them off school property, but last week this woman was thrown out of Yolanda's bio class for asking questions about Lilly. They searched her bag and found a dictaphone and a reporters notepad, along with two spy cameras."

"Wow. Must be hot news."

The door swung open and Yolanda entered, her outfit a simple t-shirt and faded jeans, but in the glare of the sun, she appeared like Wonder Woman or Supergirl.

"Look what the cat dragged in!" Logan joked, returning his glass to the tray before him.

"Watch that tongue of yours Echolls, before I cut it out!" Yolanda mocked, pointing her finger at him.

"A-ahem," Lynn coughed, gaining her sons attention.

"Oh, right, you two haven't met. Yolanda, this is my mom, Lynn Echolls. Mom, this is mine and Veronica's friend Yolanda Hamilton."

The new acquantances shook hands before Yolanda continued with her story.

"It's all over the news, and I didn't get any answer when I called Veronica's phone," she started, sitting in the last vacant seat in the room.

"I left it at home, was in a bit of a rush to get here," Veronica explained, motioning for Yolanda to continue on.

"Well, like I said, it's all over the news…"

The time was 14:21 in the afternoon.

--

Celeste Kane had just re-entered her daughter's room and had switched the light on, only to jump when she found her son, sitting on a chair in the dark, his legs pulled to his chest as he rocked back and forth.

"Duncan, what is it son? Duncan?" she asked, kneeling before him. She reached into her purse in search of his pills, fearing he had forgotten to take them. The last time he'd failed to take them was an experience she wished never to live through once more… it was only now that she could swallow her found without her throat hurting.

"Duncan, here take your pills. What's happened?" she asked, forcing a tablet into his hand. She grabbed his shoulders only to steady him, but fell back on the floor as he got to his feet. His eyes were dark, and his hands shook with anger.

He pushed past her, knocking her back to the floor as he ran for the door and knocked Dr. Dean to ground too. She gasped in fear, pulling her hand to her chest, above her heart. When the doctor offered her assistance, she gratefully accepted.

"Are you okay, Mrs. Kane?"

The time was 14:29 in the afternoon.


	20. Chapter 20

**Title:** Mutual

**Author:** brencon

**Pairings/Characters:** Logan/Veronica, ensemble

**Word Count: **1,866

**Rating:** PG-13, so far.

**Summary:** What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Author's Note:** Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

* * *

The time was 14:36 in the afternoon and Duncan Kane was lost to mankind. He moved through the crowded hospital, shoving past doctors and nurses and civilians and even the odd moving patient. His rage was clouding his judgement as he sent medical equipment flying through windows, shattering glass and breaking vials of medication.

As he sent yet another doctor spiralling to the floor, his eyes the size of slits, he noticed his location – outside one Logan Echolls private room. His blood pumped just that little bit faster and his breathing sped up. Slamming his fist into the wall to the left of the door, Duncan made a quick decision. Kicking the door open, he stormed into the room, huffing and puffing.

"What the hell, man?" Logan asked, sitting up suddenly in his bed, rattling his tubes as he pulled on the connections.

"Where is she?" Duncan growled, leaning against Logan's bedside, his knuckles turning white from the force of his squeezing on the guard rail upon Logan's bed.

"Where is who?" Logan replied, knowing full well who Duncan was asking about.

"Who do you think? You're girlfriend! Veronica fucking Mars! Now, stop stalling and tell me where she is!" Duncan snarled, snorting and spitting as his anger raged in his mind, blocking out inhibitors and firing up all his primal thoughts and strength.

"What do you need to see Veronica for? It's not my fault that you've lost her, D. You're the one who was doing the whole cold-and-distant act before we even got together! If you think about it, you forced her into my arms! It's your own fault that you lost the best thing in your life, not mine, not Veronicas, YOURS! Now why don't you just back the hell off, dude?!" Logan grunted, clenching his fist tightly.

Snarling and breathing heavily, Duncan took a step back from Logan's bedside. He ran his fingers through his hair, pulling at it from the roots and sighed loudly. He kicked at the stool that was placed beside Logan's bed, knocking it into the wall beside all of Logan's medical machinery, and watched as it shattered into pieces.

Opening and closing his mouth several times, failing to speak each and every time, Duncan fired a gaze at Logan that could set many a fire. Leaving before passing any more words, Duncan slammed the door shut behind him, hearing the glass in the door rattle in its pane.

Glancing down either side of the corridor, Duncan searched for the girl that was haunting each and every one of his dreams, nightmares and fantasies. Thinking on his feet, Duncan made a quick decision as he turned in the direction of the elevator.

He was on a mission, and he wasn't going to stop till he accomplished it.

The time was 14:44 in the afternoon.

--

The Balboa County Sheriff's office was a hive of activity, with swarms of reporters and paparazzi, firing hundreds of questions as they attempted to push past the deputies that Sheriff Mars had ordered to guard the entrance to the office main.

He sat at his desk, a coffee cup steaming away as he checked and rechecked the transcripts of the numerous Aaron Echolls interviews that had occurred over the last few weeks, looking for weak points and details that could be used to reclaim Aaron into their firm grasp.

But nothing mentioned in the manuscripts was usable. He sighed heavily, closing the dossier and replacing it in it's manila folder. Reaching for his mug, he was interrupted in taking a long lasting drink when a knock came at his office door.

"C'min," he answered, returning his coffee to the tabletop and sat up in his office chair.

"Dad," Veronica said, pushing her into the room, Lynn Echolls following in her path.

"Veronica, honey… Mrs. Echolls. I take it you've heard the news?" Keith asked, sighing once more.

"Yeah. How they could let him go home? Were mine and Logan's statements not enough? And then Logan made another one, after he woke up! How can they let him go?"

"It's not enough, honey. We need Lilly's own statement before anything substantial can happen in any legal capacity."

"Keith, I want to file for a restraining order, and I want it to be finalised as soon as possible."

"Have your lawyer call me and it will be dealt with."

Sitting down before Keith's desk, Lynn placed her purse on it before running a hand through her hair.

"Have you got any other place to live whist Aaron is under house arrest?" Keith inquired, taking a firm hold of his mug, feeling the warmth spread through his hands.

"No, Veronica and I came straight here. I guess I can book me and Logan a room at the Grande; he'll be discharged in a couple of days. Then I can get started on the divorce proceedings. I've been married to that… that monster, for too long now."

"Dad, is it… is it alright if they stay with us? I mean, we have two rooms that are vacant, and if they were here, you wouldn't be pulling out what's left of your hair, worrying about what Logan and I are up to if we're under the same roof – your roof," Veronica quickly explained, registering the expression of deep thought on her father's face.

"I think… I think this is the best situation, for everyone, once your husband in behind bars with his trial coming. But, what do you think?"

"I would feel… safer, living in the sheriff's home. As long as you don't have any problems with this situation, I think it's the best thing for us all."

"That's settled then!" Veronica exclaimed, jumping to her feet. Moving to the door, Veronica looked back at her father and her boyfriend's mother and smiled at their confused looks, "Gotta get home and get everything sorted for our house guests. See you soon, Mrs. Echolls, and dad… don't work to hard."

Veronica quickly waved before vanishing from the doorway.

Smiling at the Sheriff, Lynn swallowed her fear before pressing the matter that had formed on her lips.

"I… I need to get home and grab some clean clothes, for Logan and myself… but I… I can't be there on my own, Keith, I just can't."

"I can send a couple of my deputies with you, to keep him away from you while you are packing. Is that okay?" Keith asked, sitting up on his chair once more.

"Can you… could you come too, Keith? It's just, I'd feel so much safer knowing that you were there with me, just to have some piece of mind. Is that okay?"

Smiling, Keith stood up and retrieved his jacket from the back of his chair before slipping it on. Unlocking and opening his desk drawer, Keith took hold of his firearm. Clicking the safety on, Keith placed it carefully in his the weapons hold that was attached to his belt.

"I think its best that we do this now, Lynn, best to bite the bullet, as they say. Are you sure you're up to this?"

"It has to be done, Keith."

Keith moved to the door and held it open, allowing Lynn to leave before exiting the room himself.

The time was 14:59 in the afternoon.

--

"Mr. and Mrs. Kane, your daughter has been moved to recovery. Her surgery was a success and her vitals have already begun to return to normal. Her cat scan and EKG show's normal brain activity, so it's really up to her when she wakes up." Doctor Craig Dean explained, sitting on the edge of the vacated bed as his patients parents sat before him, hands in each others, in a firm grasp. When he had entered the room earlier that afternoon and found their son standing above his mother, who had seemingly tripped and fallen to the floor, he figured it was best not to press any questions for the time being.

Now that the husband and wife were sitting before him, it was time to deliver the news that he had been trying to tell for the past few hours.

"When called me, Doctor, earlier today, you said that one of your tests, one of your examinations had revealed something? What was it Doctor? What did you find?"

"I was just coming to the, Mr. Kane. Our blood tests and ultra sound have both shown the same results – Mrs. Kane, Mr. Kane, you're going to grandparents; you're daughter is with child."

In place of the tears of joy and cheers of jubilancy was blank faces and terrified eyes and short gasps. In retrospect, knowing the reason behind their daughter's admittance, he should have gathered that this may not have been the best news for them to receive.

Thankfully, his pager vibrated in his breast pocket. Retrieving it, he checked the message before getting to his feet.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go, another patient has just entered the emergency room. If you need anything from me, anything at all, I'm just a page away."

Acting remorsefully, as was expected of any doctor in this sort of experience, Craig Dean exited the room as quietly as possible.

The time was 15:08 in the afternoon.

--

Veronica had finished vacuuming and dusting one room, having already redressed both beds and opened the windows to air the rooms of their staleness when she heard the door open below.

Turning off the machine and unplugging it, Veronica began to drag it from the room out into the corridor.

"Don't let her upstairs just yet Dad, I still haven't finished getting the rooms ready. Give me a few minutes," she called out. Pulling the machine down the hallway to the second guest room, Veronica heard no reply from her father, but thought nothing off it – he often acted like he couldn't hear her when she was doing the housecleaning, so as to avoid being drawn into mopping the floors or cleaning the bathroom.

Plugging the machine in when she entered the second room, Veronica gasped when she felt the warmth of the body behind her, as the arm snaked around her neck, pulling her flush against her.

Her first thought was to think how the hell did Aaron Echolls get here with his electronic tracker that was attached to him. Her second thought was why was it suddenly getting dark, it still being the middle of the afternoon.

As her limp body was released from her attacker, and collapsed to the floor, her rolling eyes fought to focus on his face, so she could look into his eye.

Finally succeeding in her task, Veronica was shocked to see who it was that was standing above her.

"Duncan?" She quietly gasped, panting hard as her throat ached.

"Shut up, bitch! This is all your fault! If you hadn't been cheating on me with that bastard's son, my sister would okay, not locked away where no one can see her, fighting for her life! It's all your fault!"

And when his foot connected with her face, the look in his eyes was forever burned in her memories – a look of pure hatred.


	21. Chapter 21

**Title:** Mutual

**Author:** brencon

**Pairings/Characters:** Logan/Veronica, ensemble

**Word Count: **2,088

**Rating:** PG-13, so far.

**Summary:** What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Author's Note:** Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

**Author's Note #2: **The third-to-last chapter.

* * *

"He actually came here, blaming Veronica for all of his family's problems? Like it doesn't have anything to do with their overpowering mother or their weak father?" Yolanda asked, her mouth hanging open in shock.

"Yeah, and then he started yelling so I just gave him some home truths, and he just shut up and quickly, slamming the door loudly. All in the space of the 10 minutes that you had gone to get us these pudding cups."

"Any news from your dear Ronnie?" Yolanda asked, smiling as she spooned more of the pudding into her mouth.

"Don't let her hear you call me that, she only likes it when I say it. And, no, no word from her. Mom called just before you got back though, saying that she and the Sheriff would be going to pack some of our clothes up before we moved in with the Mars'," Logan answered, twirling the spoon in the plastic cup. Reading his friends look, he added, "Don't worry, Keith and a couple of his deputies will be joining them. Mom said she was going to get a restraining order, so that he wouldn't be able to come near us," Logan finished, licking the plastic pot.

Clearing her throat, Yolanda moved on to a more light-hearted topic, "So, moving in with the girlfriend? Must be many a thought running through that twisted head of yours!" she joked.

"But of course, although most do end with me gaining a large bullet wound from a shotgun. But it usually comes after much macking on the couch and over-the-clothes heavy-petting, so we're alright there really, in the trade off – extreme pleasure to extreme death."

Laughing, Yolanda bowed her head to hide her tears of laughter. Basking as the chemicals and endorphins spread through her system, Yolanda sat back in her chair and raised her head to face her friend with a wide smile.

"Alright there, Yo?" Logan asked, smirking at his friends flushed face.

"Fantastic, Lo, it's just good to laugh, been along time since I have heard you wise crack."

"Aw, don't get all sentimental on me Yolanda, I'm not dead yet!" Logan replied, sitting up in his bed.

--

"I cannot believe you are even thinking of that, Celeste! We are not getting rid of our grandchild, how can you even say it?" Jake asked, exasperated to the point of an outburst of rage.

"Because the father of this bastard child is more than likely the man who put our daughter in this very hospital, into the coma that she may never wake from! We need to talk about this, Jake! Do you really think you'll be able to live with that kid in your home when all along they could be Aaron Echolls love child? Day in, day out, could you really, hand on your heart, say that you'd be okay with that… that child living in our home?" Celeste ranted, her right arm wrapped around her chest, her left hand waving through the air as she paced back and forth through their daughters private room.

Sighing heavily, Jake ran his trembling hand over his face, following it through his hair and as he arched his head back, pointing his face to the ceiling of the room, the neon light blaring through his eyelids as he felt his head throb just behind his eyes, he returned it to his mouth, covering it at the shocked gasp that escaped it at his wife's speech.

"I know that you want a grandchild, Jake, but Lilly is only 17 and if she had a kid now, she would be throwing her life away, do you really want that for your daughter? She hasn't even finished high school!"

"Have you forgotten that we are multimillionaires, Celeste? We can hire a nanny! You don't even work, except for meeting with the other housewives for brunch or when I have to make a press conference and I need my 'loving wife' to stand by my side."

"You expect me to look after that monster's child? After what he did to our Lilly? I cannot believe that Jake!"

"What else would you do?"

Grabbing her purse, Celeste moved to the door. Throwing a last, sorrow filled look at her husband, Celeste exited the room.

--

They'd been at the mansion for all of ten minutes and Lynn had not stopped trembling since they had parked in the driveway. Being led through her home to her room, flanked by the sheriff and one of his deputies, Lynn felt safer than she had in the year's gone bye.

Quickly packing her suitcase with fresh clothes, Lynn alerted her guardian that she was ready to move along. Draggling the trolley-suitcase behind her, she arrived at her sons room and as quick as lightning, opened the doors to his wardrobe and grabbed as many of his jeans and sweater vests and t-shirts as she could find and shoved them into the suitcase at her feet.

Finding his school books, Lynn packed a smaller case with them along with his material before once more alerting the deputy at the door that she had completed her task.

Hearing her heals clip-clop as she took each step; Lynn's breathe quickened in fear of seeing her husband. Her fears were realised as Aaron Echolls sauntered in from the kitchen, a bag of blue corn chips in hand.

"Oh hello dear, I didn't hear you come in. Aren't you going to give me a hug after my false imprisonment?" Aaron asked, reaching deep into the bag as he watched her rush down the stairs.

"Don't listen to him, Lynn, and don't answer back, its best not to take to our suspect during our investigation. Have you got all you need?" Keith asked, exiting the living room with Aaron's lawyer in toe.

"Don't antagonise her, Aaron. We may need her as a character witness," the lawyer warned, loosening his tie from around his neck.

Lynn's head shot up and she eyed the lawyer – a man in a dark brown suit, a pale beige shirt and a dark yellow tie, his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose – and then turned to face her soon-to-be former husband.

"I will never, _ever_," Lynn emphasised, releasing the handle and stepping forward, her finger pointing at her husband as her hand shook with the anger and fear she was feeling, "take your side in _any _of your problems. You caused this, yourself and no one else! If anything, I'm going to be helping the prosecution!" In that moment, she felt a wave of power; a wave of confidence that she had not felt in the years since she married Aaron.

"Let's get out of here, Sheriff."

Nodding at his deputies, they began to lead Lynn from her former home and back into his vehicle. Facing the lawyer, Keith watched as the lawyer offered his hand. Hr looked at it for a second before trailing his eyes back to the lawyer.

"Mrs. Echolls will be filling for a restraining order in a number of days, and a divorce. Good luck. You're going to need it."

He smiled a tight smile as he made way to leave the Echolls home.

--

_When did builders move into the house? And why are they drilling?_

Veronica blinked her eyes open once; twice as they rolled back into place. Her nose itched from its contact with the carpet. Rolling onto her back, she winced as her head throbbed, as her elbow rubbed uncomfortably in its socket.

_What happened to me?_

Using her right hand, Veronica rolled onto her side and forced her body into an upright position. A sharp pain exploded behind her eyes and she collapsed to her knees, rubbing her temples in a circular motion.

A rattling from down the corridor drew her attention as she stood quickly.

"He,hello? Who's there?" she called out, patting her pockets for her cell phone. Finding none she released a groan of frustration as the intruder continued on their path back down the corridor.

And there he was. And she remembered it all. He hit her, Duncan actually hit her! She shook her head, groaning as her brain bounced inside her skull, as she tried to listen to what he was saying.

"… should stop the swelling. It's what you do, isn't it? Put ice on a,a… bruise," Duncan said, holding out the cloth that was wrapped around the ice.

Reluctantly accepting it, she moan as the wash cloth came in touch with the bruise that seemed to began beneath her eye and finished just beneath her ear. A burning sensation in her chest came as another sign of another injury she had recently received.

"What is it you're doing Duncan? First you come here, shouting your mouth off, blaming for what's happened to Lilly, _hitting_ me and the next thing I know, you're being all calm and nice and worrying that I might bruise."

"I was just thinking that, now that we are back together that we need to start being nice to each other. I mean, I've said some things to you, you got back at me by buying with Logan, and then this happened. If we're going to have a second chance, we need to move on from the past so that our future can be bright. Although we just need to get out of Neptune, we need to get away from all that's happened here these past few months. It's the best thing we can do."

"You what? Get back together? When was this decided?!"

"Before, when we were talking. You agreed with me that we worked best together and that we should just get back together," Duncan insisted, his smile bright as he nodded his head in confirmation of his own explanation.

"I was unconscious! Which, by the way, was the only chance you ever had of getting back with me!"

His eyes widened and grew dark as he pushed himself off the wall, rushing at his ex-girlfriend, grabbing at her shoulders. He crashed his mouth to hers and kissed her with all the love he felt for her.

His hands tangled in her hair as he forced his tongue in her mouth and groaned at the heat of her mouth on his.

Kissing her felt he'd come home after a long trip. He'd had so many sleepless nights before, scared to his wits that he may be her half-brother and then his mother tells them they aren't related, but that he can't be around her because she's friends with the bastard who sent his only sister to hospital. And then no one was talking to him; neither the doctors nor his parents were willing to explain to him what exactly what was happening with his sister.

And then Veronica had returned to him, and it was like a new day had dawned and all that had happened between them in the past month was shallow water under a high bridge. And he was kissing her and holding her and then she was gone.

He could remember exactly how he from there to here, but he had, and everything was fine because they were kissing and hugging and groaning and grinding.

And then she pushed him away and he fell over his legs and she was shouting at him, telling him that there was not a chance in hell of them ever getting back together and that she was with Logan, in _love _with Logan and then she groaning and grabbing at her stomach and then she was gone from the room.

And then he was sitting against the wall, his arms around his knees as he bounced his head against the wall again and again and again.

--

Jake was holding a vigil at his daughters' bedside, one hand holding hers and his other resting on her stomach, where his grandchild was growing inside.

His mind had been reeling ever since the doctor had told them the news, and with his wife's reasoning behind destroying the life that was growing inside their daughter and his son pulling a disappearing act, Jake was trying to keep it together. He need to remain strong, for his Lilly.

He squeezed her hand, to reassure himself that everything was going to be okay and to relay the message to his daughter that she was loved and missed.

So you can see why it came as a surprise to him when he felt her squeeze back.


	22. Chapter 22

**Title:** Mutual

**Author:** brencon

**Pairings/Characters:** Logan/Veronica, ensemble

**Word Count: **1,976

**Rating:** PG-13, so far.

**Summary:** What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Author's Note:** Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

**Author's Note #2: **The second-to-last chapter. And finally an update!

* * *

Crossing her arms, Lynn tried to fight the shiver she could feel gnawing at her back. She and Keith had just left her former home, her husband standing in the doorway, waving her off.

"You alright, Lynn?" Keith asked, looking at her from the corner of his eye as he drove the car in the direction of his home.

Lynn nodded briskly, her hand shaking as she raised it to her hand to block out the groan of fear that passed from her lips.

Keith, knowing what she wouldn't admit it, quickly indicated to pull over. Hitting a lay-by, Keith turned off the engine and sat quietly as he waited for her to release.

Keeping his eyes to the front, he wasn't surprised to hear gasp and sob as she let the fear in. Quietly, he heard her count to five in between shuddered breaths.

"Okay," she whispered, rubbing her palms over eyes, "I'm ready to go."

"Okay," Keith agreed, nodding his head.

He restarted the vehicle and pulled out onto the road. Just as they were coming up to the turn off for his neighbour hood, the police scanner crackled with life. Listening to the details, he sighed at the idiocy of some people – a home invasion gone wrong and… it was at his house?

Picking up the talkie, Keith replied and asked who made the call.

"You're daughter, Sheriff." Keith quickly returned the talkie, turned on the sirens and sped up.

"Keith, what is it?" Lynn asked, but she got no reply

--

Yolanda checked her cell phone for what must've been the twentieth time in the past ten minutes. Logan had told her he was expecting a call from Veronica, but when there was no word; Yolanda began checking her phone as well. The worry set in as they counted past the deadline Veronica had given (even though it wasn't actually a deadline) of when she would call. Getting so impatient, Logan had begun to start calling her, but the first three times had been faulted by the busy tone. Now, when he called her, he got her voicemail.

"She's probably just helping your mom settle in, you know? Unpacking things, hanging up those sweat tops you love, folding your underwear, putting her picture beside your bed, setting up your iPod, checking out your surfer clothes…the usual."

As if awoken from a dream, Logan stared at Yolanda for a moment before speaking.

"Folding underwear? Who folds underwear?" He asked, his voice full with mirth.

"Hey, you know Veronica; every detail has to be perfect!"

"Yeah, but folding underwear? C'mon! Anyway, I'd prefer it if she was taking them off me rather than folding them away neatly," He waggled his eyebrows as only he could and Yolanda snorted with laughter.

"Perve."

--

Celeste arrived at Kane Software, slamming her car door powerfully as she began the long march into the building. Entering reception, each of her husbands employees greeted her with kind words and questions about her daughter, all of which she ignored.

Storming to the elevator, she pushed the button for the floor she wished to reach. The doors slid closed and she started tapping her foot impatiently. As the bell tolled, signalling the doors opening, she found her self surrounded by more of her husbands' lackeys.

The doors closed once more as she waited to pass the final two floors to where she wanted to go.

After an age, it seemed, she finally arrived at her floor. Pushing past the kiss-ass people around her, Celeste exited the elevator.

Stopping before the secretary, she put her purse behind the counter.

"Is he in?" She asked, trying to see for herself through the pulled blinds.

"He just got out of a meeting with the security for the offices and was going to call your husband to enquiry about added security to your home when Lilly arrives home." Miss Sheridan replied, placing the given handbag beneath her desk. Looking at Celeste, she gave her a sympathetic smile as she asked, "How is she?"

"The same, still," Celeste replied, before taking the first step towards his office.

Without knocking, Celeste entered the office, releasing the door handle from her grip, allowing it to slam against the wall.

Planting each foot forward, arms wrapped around her waist, she approached his desk.

"I need you're help, so get off the damn phone and help me!" Celeste ordered, thumping her fist on his desk.

"I'm gonna have to call ya back… okay? Right, you do that," he said, returning it to its resting spot.

"Mrs. Kane, tell me, what exactly can I do for you today?" he asked, resting his elbows on his desk as he interlocked his fingers.

"I need you to _kill_ him, Clarence!"

--

"She squeezed my hand, opened her eyes and looked at me, that's a good thing, right? It means she's getting better? Right?" Jake asked, watching as Dr. Dean checked over his daughter, checking her pupils for reaction.

"It may only have been a tremor," he sighed, returning his torch to the pocket of his white coat. Grabbing her chart, he made a note, and requested that his intern take her down for an MRI, to get films of the internal workings of Lilly's brain, to check on her rate of healing and to see if their was any new internal bleedings.

"A tremor? What does that mean?" Jake asked, his voice cracking as he watched his daughter be wheeled away.

"It means that coma patients sometimes move, maybe open their eyes or, in rare cases, speak. But it doesn't mean their waking up. But I'm gonna do some tests; see if she is waking up, okay? And I'll get back to you as soon as I have the results, alright?" Dr. Dean said, his bed side manners in high use as was the title of the best neuro-surgeon on west coast.

"Okay…thank you, Dr. Dean."

The doctor exited the room, as Jake collapsed into the seat he had been sitting in for the past… God, he couldn't remember how long she had been here, ran his hands over his face and released a slow, shattering breath.

--

Veronica was shaking, her hands trembling as she paced back and forth like an expecting father as she waited for the cops to show up. Glancing up to the bedroom window were her ex was, Veronica fought back the bile she could feel burning through her chest.

_What the hell did he think he was doing? Why the hell would he ever try anything like that? Why the hell is he suddenly flipping through loving and caring to crazy-scary? _

She took away from internal ramble by the screeching of sirens as the jeep came hurtling towards the house. Without even turning off the engine, her father jumped out of the car and ran to his daughter.

"Honey, what happened? Over the radio it said that a report of a girl having been attacked by a guy in a psychotic rage? Who did this?"

"It's Duncan dad, he went nuts… he's just sitting upstairs, banging his head off the wall… I dunno how he is… I couldn't go back up there dad, I just couldn't… I haven't even gone back inside the house since I got away from him," Veronica said, her voice hitching as she explained what happened. Keith took her in his arms, and squeezed all of his caring and love into, trying to recapture some of her innocence that he knew had long since vanished.

"Lynn, could you take care of her while I go inside?" Keith requested, staring up at the home he had always tried to keep safe for his little girl.

"Of course Keith," Lynn readily agreed, taking the shaking into her arms. She watched as Keith withdrew his gun and slowly edged the door open.

As the door closed behind him, Lynn guided Veronica to the car, opening the door to the back seat and guiding Veronica into it.

"Veronica, sweetie, are you alright?" Lynn cautiously asked, not taking her eyes away from the girl before her. Her eyes were constantly dancing in her head, looking at anything and everything around her except for Lynn. Pushing slightly, Lynn made Veronica focus on her and then the woman before her collapsed into the little girl.

--

He leaned back in his chair, feigning shock.

"Who do you want killed, Mrs. Kane?" Clarence Wiedman asked, reclining back in his chair, resting his hands, still interlocked, upon his chest. He already knew who she wanted to be taken out, but he needed verbal conformation if this really was going to happen.

"Who the hell do ya think? Aaron Echolls! The scum that put my baby girl in a coma, carrying his lovechild! That's who!" Celeste shouted. She launched herself at his desk, clearing it of his mountain of paperwork, phone and non-essential stationary items.

"If we are seriously contemplating this form of action, we will need to discuss it from varying angles of problems, creating a story to cover both of our backs, funds to gather required… equipment and, of course, we need to talk remuneration."

Laying out everything that was needed for discussion, Clarence left everything in Celeste's hands.

"Are you ready to discuss options?" he asked.

--

He'd heard a crack sometime ago, but he wouldn't stop. His neck felt welt, but he hadn't stopped. His body was numb, but he couldn't stop. His mind was cascade of flashes and confusion and he couldn't understand what had gone wrong. Everything had been so simple just hours ago, so clear. And then it had all fallen to pieces.

He'd had Veronica, she'd agreed to what he had said. Right? She'd wanted to be with him again too, hadn't she?

He could loud creatures roaring, getting louder and louder, closer and closer, and he couldn't shake them from the front of his mind.

And then she was saying things, confusing him, ruining their agreement, breaking his heart.

"What did I do? What'd I do? What'd I do? What'd I do?" he whispered repeatedly, finally resting his forehead against his crossed arms.

He was being called out to from the ether, his name echoing around him, and he couldn't keep the voice away.

"What'd I do? What'd I do? What'd I do? What did I do?" he repeated, his eyes misting over as shame coursed through his body.

--

Keith moved slowly through his home, heading for the stairway. This had always been his fortress against the nightmares, against the horrors of the real world. He'd always thought that he could come home, could shut away all the dangers that he faced in his livelihood, to shelter from the storm of human tragedies.

And now that storm had forced its way through the barricade he'd created, shattering all he'd done to protect his little girl in the process.

"Duncan!" he called out, rising stair by stair to the upper level. "Duncan!" he called again, edging his way towards his daughter's room. Pushing the door open, he found it empty. He exited the room and headed towards the guest bedroom.

"Duncan Kane!" he shouted, using the full force of his short stature to convey his anger to the trespasser within his home.

Reaching the room, he slowly opened the door, his weapon before him. His eyes swept the room, the gun following as he searched for the teen. The red stain on the crème wall drew his attention, and his eyes fell to the boy below, damaged and broken, his body in a vertical foetal position.

"Duncan?" questioned Keith, his voice still forceful. The whispering of the body before him was fast, the end of the sentence rolling into the next.

"What'd I do? What'd I do? What'd I do? What did I do?"


	23. Chapter 23

**Title:** Mutual

**Author:** brencon

**Pairings/Characters:** Logan/Veronica, ensemble

**Word Count: **1,874

**Rating:** PG-13, so far.

**Summary:** What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Author's Note:** Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

**Author's Note #2: **The penultimate chapter. And finally an update!

--

Logan checked his cell for the millionth time, and was returning it to his bedside table when the door opened once more. Sitting up in his bed, he couldn't halt the smile that burst forth on his face as his mother and girlfriend entered his room.

Yolanda quickly left the room, making silly excuses about her father needing her home for dinner. She smiled politely at Lynn and gently hugged Veronica. She didn't comment when the tiny blonde one gasped in pain at the slight envelopment.

"Hey mom… Ronnie?" Logan said, giving her the once over. It was then that he finally noticed the bruises that ran up her arm.

"What happened?" Logan asked, his voice rising in pitch. "Dad?" He whispered to his mother as she sat on the edge of his bed.

Lynn was about to make a comment when Veronica spoke up. "It was Duncan… he flipped out, thinking that we were still together. He cornered me in my own home!"

Veronica broke down once more and launched herself at Logan, crying into his chest.

"Keith took him into custody; he's probably processing him now." Lynn informed Logan, getting to her feet. "I'm going to head back to the house, start unpacking out stuff. I'll be back tonight to take both of you home, okay? Deputy Lamb is going to be coming with me, while Sacks will be stationed outside your room, honey. Okay?"

Logan nodded, mouthing to his mother that he loved her. She returned the sentiment and quickly made her exit also.

"Hey, hey, it's gonna be okay, Ronnie, it will be okay. You're safe now." He mumbled into her hair as he pulled her closer.

"I hate this! Duncan's insane, Lilly's in a coma, you're broken, my mom's gone and you're dad's a psycho!" She shouted, finding strength deep within her soul. She pulled away from his chest and rubbed at her tear-stained face harshly. Breathing deeply, she smiled at his worry-toned face.

"Veronica, we will get through this. We still have my mom and your dad, and we have each other. And, I think Lilly might be waking up. I heard the doctor's talking."

--

Celeste Kane had not touched her coffee since it was handed to her by Clarence's secretary. She'd sat, stoically answering in yer and no answers to anything and everything that he asked of her.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this Celeste?"

"He violated my daughter, Clarence. I want that son of a bitch to pay. I want my pound of flesh!" Celeste suddenly flared, her nostrils widening as the rage surged through her system.

"Then I think its best that you leave now, so that I can make the necessary arrangements."

Celeste silently agreed, allowing Clarence to lead her from his office. She thanked his secretary as she placed her handbag in her possession.

It was as she was retrieving her keys to unlock her car that her cell phone began to vibrate. Quickly answering the call, Celeste user her other hand to unlock the driver's door and open it.

"Mrs. Kane, this is Sheriff Mars. You need to come to my office. It's Duncan. He's been arrested for assault."

Sighing agitatedly, Celeste started the car.

"What has he done that warrants this?"

"He attacked my daughter. He's just being processed now."

She ended the call without further notice, put the vehicle into gear, revved the engine before releasing the handbrake and racing from her spot. The only sign that she had ever parked there was the tire tracks that were over 40 yards in length.

--

The baby was crying so much that Lilly had given up all hope of trying to calm it. She'd tried singing, rocking it back and forth in her arm, feeding it, checked it's diaper – nothing she did made any difference.

And then her dad entered her room, quickly lifted his grandchild from the bassinette and started making baby noises and playing peek-a-boo and it quietened down.

Lilly thanked her father as returned to her task of folding the clothes before her.

"How are you doing today, sweetheart?" He asked, smiling at her as he continued bouncing the baby.

"Fine; tired but okay. Thanks for helping out," she said, swaying her arm in the direction of her kid.

"It's what I'm here for." He smiled once more, now placing the sleeping child into the cot.

A door slammed in the distance and Jake awoke suddenly and quickly realised he'd been dreaming once more. Dreaming of a world that his daughter and grandchild were alive and well and back home in the bosom of the family.

It took him a number of seconds to realise that his wife was standing before him, her arms crossed as she scowled at his hand which was placed on his daughters' pregnant bump.

"Sorry to interrupt this _touching_ moment, but we've got to go. Duncan's been arrested."

He shot forth from his chair, eyes wide in shock.

"What? Why?"

"Apparently he attacked Veronica Mars."

His eyes widened further as he retrieved his phone from his jacket pocket.

"How long ago?" He asked, dialling the number for the corporate lawyer he kept on retainer, usually for hostile take over of the weaker competition and rival firms, but who, in this instance, would aid them none the less.

"Half an hour ago," Celeste replied as she followed him from the room at warp speed.

"Hi, Larry? It's Jake; I need you to get down to the Balboa County Sheriff's office. Celeste and I will meet you there in 10 minutes. Duncan's been arrested."

--

Aaron Echolls was enjoying the last of fall sunshine, reclining at his pool, a scotch in one hand and a cigar in the other. He'd spent the morning discussing the case of the century with his lawyer, trying to come up with an alternative story to create 'doubt' in the jury's opinion of his case. It was coming to the end of the power meeting when the call came from their insider at the sheriff's office that Duncan Kane had been arrested for a violent attack on none other than the sheriff's daughter.

When the word had come in, they had celebrated with a joyous round of cigars and the finest, oldest single malt that Aaron had in his possession.

Not long later, his lawyer had returned to the office to tie up the loose details of their alternate tale of events. Now, enjoying the thought of a free life for years and decades to come, he was surprised at the sharp pain that spread suddenly through his chest before another bout of pain in his shoulder sent him tumbling to the floor. His cigar, still smoking, rolled from his finger tips and into the pool beside him, the life singed out of it.

--

Finally calmed, Veronica was poking fun at Logan for his need of a bed pan. To which he had replied, "So you'd prefer it if you had to diaper me like a baby?"

"Hey, keep you're fetishes to yourself!"

"There's a diaper fetish?" Logan asked, mystified to the thought.

"Wow, the guy who's a whore and not knowing a fetish involving diapers? Shame on you!" She joked, kissing his cheek before jumping of his bed.

"Hey, were you going?" He asked, his voice etched with worry.

"Just heading to the gift shop for snack, you want anything?"

"Maybe a Skist?" He asked, watching her as she delved into her bag for some money.

"Coming right up!" She sang, returning to his bedside and kissing him chastely.

Laughing as he attempted to take the kiss further, Veronica shoved him away playfully. She shushed him as he started making pouting sounds. Leaving the room, she walked into the broad chest of man who seemed to tower above her.

"Oh god, I am so sorry sir! I wasn't watching were I was going." Veronica apologised, taking a step back from him. She realised then her fatal mistake.

"Hello, Mr. Kane, Mrs. Kane. I am so sorry."

"For walking into me? Or for getting my son arrested? Or, maybe, for nearly getting my daughter killed?" Jake stated, crossing his arms as he stared her down.

"I am sorry for walking into you, Mr. Kane. But for the others, I'm not. It's not my fault that Duncan nearly raped me, he went insane, thinking that we were back together. If I was going to blame anyone for that, I'd be blaming your wife, seeing as how she was the one to tell him that you may have been my father," Veronica said, burning a hole into Celeste's face that caused her to turn away in fear.

"And as for nearly killing your daughter? I think it's more accurate that me and Logan saved her! Saved her from nearly being beaten to death with an ashtray! So no, I'm not sorry for that! Now excuse me, I have to get my boyfriend a drink. He's throats still raw after his father nearly choked him to death."

Veronica eased past them, her head held high. She felt triumphant at her victory, but still came to feel sad for the situation that led to her current position.

--

Crossing to the interrogation room, Keith sighed at the state of the community. The rich running the world, the poor doing anything just to be able to eat. And now he had too of the richest people under arrest – Aaron Echolls and Duncan Kane. His mind boggled at the reasons why people do things.

He had come to the conclusion that Aaron was egotistical and maniacal and when his pecking order was out to bring him down, he'd do anything to bring it back. Duncan, on the other hand, seemed to be in a state of mental anguish, of medical emergency.

"Sheriff, just got a call from the deputies posted outside the Echolls place, apparently there's been a number of gunshots." Inga said, holding out her note pad for Keith to read.

"Okay, I'll head over there now. Could you ask Steve to start taking Duncan's statement?"

"Sure thing, Sheriff Mars."

Keith moved to his office to grab his gun, badge and jacket. As he was preparing to make his exit the tell-tale echo of Celeste Kane's loud voice as insulted Keith's own daughter and her 'screw up of a boyfriend'.

"Mr. and Mrs. Kane. Duncan is just giving his statement to one of his deputies at the moment, but if you wouldn't mind taking a sitting in our waiting room, I'll be sure to ask our receptionist to offer you some tea or coffee, maybe a donut?" Keith offered, his arm outstretched to indicate the seating.

"Quit playing games with us, Keith, and show us to our son," Celeste ordered.

"I'm not at liberty to do that at this present time, giving the fact that he attacked MY daughter. Once his counsel has arrived, I'll be more than willing to let one of my deputies to show you to him. But I must take my leave now, never a dull moment in a sheriff's office. Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Kane."

Keith bowed politely before quickly making his exit.


	24. Chapter 24

**Title:** Mutual

**Author:** brencon

**Pairings/Characters:** Logan/Veronica, ensemble

**Word Count: **

**Rating:** PG-13, so far.

**Summary:** What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

**Spoilers:** Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.

**Warnings:** Swearing.

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

**Author's Note:** Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Song used is "Into Dust" by Mazzy Star.

**Author's Note #2: **The end is here. Finally!

--

Three hours had passed since the tragic events of the evening. Logan had been discharged and Lynn and Veronica had aided him in getting into the car. Once buckled in, Deputy Sacks escorted them home and Veronica had him settled into his room. Lynn left them to their own devices as she finished her own packing before deciding to make dinner.

At the present time, the young couple were encased in each others arms, listening to some soft music to take away the stress of the past few months.

Logan kissed the top of Veronica's neck, enjoying the scent of promises that surrounded her.

"How you feeling?" Veronica asked, her voice lilting as Morpheus encased her in his arms.

"Better... just being away from that awful bed and the smell of ammonia is better. And being in this comfortable bed, you in my arms... It's like my life is already better." Logan replied.

He waited some time for a reply when he suddenly realised that she had fallen asleep in his arms. He smiled, kissed her crown once more before reclining into the bed.

–

Lynn was chopping at onions and the definitive known fact of onion's was occurring – her eyes were running.

She retreated to the sink and was washing her hands when the door opened and the owner of the home she was in returned from his hard day's graft.

"In here Keith," Lynn announced to his call of where everyone was. He appeared in the doorway, loosening his tie and sitting at the island.

"How is Duncan now?" She asked, drying her hands with the wash cloth.

"He's withdrawn into himself, it's as if his mental wall is up. But, apparently, he's been receiving treatment for a form of epilepsy, one that causes him to black out and go into violent streaks."

Lynn nodded in reply before returning to the task at hand. She tossed all of the chopped vegetables into the wok and began to continue the stir-fry.

Keith cleared his throat before moving onto his next task. "Lynn, I've got some other news... you may want to sit down."

Lynn stared at him for a moment before taking his advice and sat across from him.

"It's about Aaron. He's been murdered. Assassinated, to be more accurate. It happened a half hour after we left his home this afternoon. Two shots from army standard riffle."

And Lynn just stared, and the dinner continued to burn, drowning in it's oil, the food now inedible and spread began to siphon through the kitchen.

–

Celeste paced inside the room as Jake tried to talk to their son. But Duncan was frozen, set in stone, and he couldn't be broken free.

Jake was shouting his voice reverberating around the room. Duncan was glazed over. And Celeste was distracted. She had received a message from a number she didn't recognise that said the deal is done. And as her mind rolled over what had happened, how her meeting with Wiedman only four hours previously could already have created a result. She looked out the blind-covered window to the office of the sheriff and saw it in a hive of activity.

And just as she was even understanding her own actions, Duncan was on his feet, the table tossed into the glass that surrounded the door, smashing it into smithereens, his hands encased around her husband's throat as Duncan screeched.

–

_Still falling  
Breathless and on again  
Inside today  
Beside me today  
Around broken in two  
till you eyes shed _

The lovers had awoken and were soon living through each other, their lips crashing together as the very survival of their lives depended on it.

Logan's hands had delved beneath the top of Veronica's t-shirt as his girlfriend's hands made quick work of his pyjama tops.

And they were gasping and rolling. And in love, and it was as if the sun was shining down on them alone and their love was overpowering them and soon they were naked and a choice was made and the sun kissed couple were in the throws of their passion and they reached a crescendo of illuminating lights and their passion overflowed.

–

_Into dust  
Like two strangers  
Turning into dust  
till my hand shook with the way I fear  
I could possibly be fading _

The monitors beeped as the breathing apparition rose and fell for the comatose body in the darkened room.

The nurse checked the vitals and compared them to the recent printouts from previous days.

But then a machine began to beep and the previously lifeless body situated on the bed quickly sat up, pulling at her throat, at the breathing tube that was affixed to her mouth and down her throat.

And the nurse, shocked to her bones, fell into action as if it were second nature and pressed the call button for the patient's doctor.

–

_Or have something more to gain  
I could feel myself growing colder  
I could feel myself under your fate  
Under your fate _

The scotch was harsh as it burned its route down her stomach. Her panda eyes were once more swimming in tears and she was clutching her chest.

The former movie star was laughing. Laughing so hard she was shaking to her feet. Her mind was running fast. All the battles she had prepared herself were never coming. Her life was, for the first in a long time, her own.

She was free.

And then her son encased her in his arms, his still wet hair dripping onto her expensive blouse. And she explained she was fine and offered to order pizza as her unofficial landlord explained the reason for her situation.

–

Veronica retired to her bedroom, having made out for over twenty minutes with her boyfriend in his room. She fell into bed. And she dreamt. Of a future that she had one constant.

A smile.


End file.
